Pokemon: Incarnation
by Pocket-fulla-shells
Summary: A Pokemon Mystery Dungeon fic. When a meteorite brings an unspeakable horror from ancient times back to the pokemon world, humans are summoned en masse to try and kill the monstrosity. Basil is one of these humans, but it seems like he may really may not be cut out for the job, especially when all kinds of threats lurk around every corner, and not everything is as it seems...
1. Distant Early Warning

**Pokemon: Incarnation**

 **Chapter 1: Distant Early Warning**

* * *

"What do you mean, 'the meteorite changed trajectory'?!" I said furiously into my communication device, a spike of liquid fear suddenly rushing through my body at this revelation.

"It was completely overcast for three days! There was no way to foresee this coming! My telescope can't see through clouds!" The voice on the other end sounded. He sounded almost worried for a change, which, given the situation, was a nice change.

"Right...ok, I'll remain calm. Jirachi, can you at least tell me where it's going to land? I should be able to stop it." I replied after a brief pause in order to steady my nerves.

"About that..." Jirachi replied before he went silent. More silence. My breathing became heavier once more as I began to fear the worst. "The meteorite...it'll strike the planet in about twenty seconds. It'll land somewhere in the archipelago east of Mistet Ørkenen." In spite of my heated body, my blood ran so cold that it felt like it was turning to slush in my veins.

"I can't stop it...nononono! NO!" I yelled, dropping the device by accident as I slumped in misery. What a terrible excuse I was for a hero. I stopped a mad god way back in the day, yet I failed to stop one single meteorite. Was my time as The Guardian of Forever over? Should I just pack up my bags and retreat into solitude once more? ...No, there was still work to be done. "...I guess it's already landed by now. Jirachi, how big was it? How big of a disaster are we looking at."

"Almost all of it burned up in the atmosphere. It should only affect a few islands at worst, and barely anyone lives there anyway. It's a disaster, sure, but civilization won't be under any threat at all from this." Jirachi said down the device, acting oddly calm about all of this.

"Tell that to the islanders! If you can tell me roughly what island it landed on, I can be there quickly to assess the damage and rescue survivors." I said, trying to keep my mind in the realm of possibility rather than lamenting on what could have been. Lamenting on the loss of lives wouldn't exactly achieve anything.

"Gimme a sec...the small one at the most northern end. Unless I made a mistake with my calculations, it didn't land in the sea. Absolutely no one lives there, so there'll be very few casualties overall." Jirachi replied, as I swore I could hear him yawn on the other end of the device. He was unparalleled in his field, but he was also a notorious narcoleptic.

"Thank you. Sorry for taking it out on you like that, it wasn't your fault. Anyway, keep this between us, won't you? Whenever I show up in public, people always thought there was some kind of disaster coming that I'd have to prevent. As a result, I really want to avoid panic spreading across the different towns." I said, still breathing heavily out of stress and fear.

"Charlie and Audrey probably already know, but I'm sure they'll stay quiet about it. They've met you before; they know what you're like." Jirachi said, as it sounded like he was shuffling through his equipment on the other end.

"I'll call you if I find anything you should know about the meteorite. Goodbye." I said and switched off the device. These communication devices reminded me of the phones humans used in their world, albeit they were far more primitive. Regardless, they were still technological marvels, straight out of the wondrous city of Syrinx. Incredible how that small town grew in only fifteen years. Gazing at a map of the world, I orientated my senses in order to find the best spot to teleport to. My lord and master allowed me to keep a tiny fraction of his power in order to help protect this world better. I just hope he won't be too furious at this failure.

Focusing my mind and every nerve within my body, I channelled my master's power through me as my hands started glowing lilac. I then focused this energy in front of me and started crafting a gateway to the archipelago. I was all alone, so no one would see me do this, and within a few short minutes, I was able to craft the portal. It undulated like the surface of the sea, looking like it was about to melt. It was exhausting to create, both physically and mentally, but it was a stable gateway, even if it didn't look like it.

Walking through it, I instantly found myself on a picturesque tropical beach. Palm trees shaded me as I felt the soft, white sand beneath my feet. The sky was clear, save for a few pretty looking clouds that dotted the sky. Oh, and the massive dust cloud from the small island in front of me. Still, it was far smaller than I thought it was going to be, so maybe, just maybe, no one will die from this. It was the first form of real relief I felt since talking to Jirachi as I felt my muscles relax, as if they all took a sit down on a big, puffy armchair. Why, perhaps this could all turn out for the best.

I wondered what the scientists of the world could learn from this otherworldly rock from beyond the stars. New construction material? A source of energy? I had no idea. It looked safe enough to make another passage to the island in front of me, and such a small distance would take minimal effort. Yet, as soon as I started to create the way forward, a piercing roar from the sky that caused me to lose focus.

"What the..." I muttered as I gazed up into the sky. High above me, I could see a gigantic, long green creature make its way towards the crash site. It was hard to make out the details, but it had to have been almost a mile long! It must have been Rayquaza, since I could think of no other creature that was anything like a gigantic airborne green serpentine dragon. Almost everyone would have been in awe, but from the things I experienced throughout my life, especially about thirty five years ago, seeing him was borderline ordinary to me now. I saw it circle around the crash site, flying in and out of the dust cloud before it noticed my presence on the beach.

"You must be The Guardian of Forever." Rayquaza said to me after it approached me, hovering a few meters in front of me. "I trust you're here to investigate the meteorite."

"Indeed. I'm grateful the impact was surprisingly small. I don't think there's even a single casualty, since I think that island's completely uninhabited. I guess I was panicking over nothing. Still, Jirachi was tracking the meteorite from his astronomy tower, and it suddenly changed direction to crash into the planet. I don't suppose you'd have any theories about that? You have spent some of your time just outside the planet's atmosphere after all." I asked as Rayquaza seemed to stall in front of me. I'd only ever seen him a couple of times before, so reading his expression on his face was rather difficult, but if I were to guess, it had to be something most unexpected – fear.

"Changed direction..." I heard the great dragon mutter before he flew above the crash site, circling it once as he inspected it from a distance. Flying swiftly back to me, his expression turned from nervousness to mild terror. "It's returned. How could it have?! It was destroyed over two thousand, five hundred years ago!"

"What's returned? If it's alive, hostile, and a threat to us and the planet, can we not just destroy it? We're some of the most powerful entities in the world. Surely it wouldn't survive against our combined strength." I asked as Rayquaza shook his head vigorously. All of a sudden, the pleasant tropical conditions no longer provided comfort as I felt anxiety creeping up on every cell of my body once more.

"It's not that simple. Also, if it gets a hold of you, it's a fate worse than death. It can't be fought directly." Rayquaza replied, and seeing this great beast starting to succumb to panic was terrifying. What could this enormous and powerful dragon to become this fearful? "Remember the ruins of the ancient civilization that were discovered thirty years ago?"

"Of course. I was the one who discovered them with Wigglytuff...this...this thing...it was responsible for their end, wasn't it." I said, starting to put the pieces together. The idea that the meteorite wasn't big enough to cause a destructive impact was now feeling like a false comfort, and I felt that for the first time in thirty five years, this planet was under threat once more.

It was happening all over again! This fragile world, stuck in the middle of a universe of chaos and destruction! When I worked tirelessly with The Sound of Perseverance to prevent time's collapse...maybe I only bought this world another thirty five years. All my nightmares were coming true! The true state of this rock floating in the cosmos...was it to be swept away with the tide of the universe's whims?! ...No; I am The Guardian of Forever. It was always my task to protect this world from otherworldly threats. I one time stood against the very forces of time itself. And won. Whatever this thing is, it couldn't be quite as dangerous as what I had encountered previously. I'll stop it. I'll ensure this world survives.

"Rayquaza, how can we stop this thing? If you were around to see it when it originally came here, then you must know something about it." I asked, trying to stem the fear racing through every cell. I was made for this. I won before in a game for the universe, so I could surely win a game for the planet.

"Xerneas and humans. Xerneas's unique physical properties were used back then to ward off the power of this entity. Humans, as we discovered, were naturally resilient against its effects, and helped bring new ideas and perspectives to help fight against this otherworldly entity. With Xerneas's help, we discovered a method to summon a human from their world." Rayquaza explained, always looking behind him every few seconds at the crash site, as if an unseen force could strike us at any moment. Was that entity in there? Could we not just blitz it from a distance?

"I'll be able to eviscerate the entire island. Will that not work?" I asked, but Rayquaza imminently shook his head.

"I learned that the hard way. When I tried to attack it, it took hold of me and...we're going to see Xerneas, now. Perhaps we can find a way to deal with it before it causes too much damage. If anyone can find out a way to destroy it for good, it's Xerneas." Rayquaza said, suddenly grabbing me and flew off into the sky as I felt my body being gripped tightly in his right claw.

"He lives at Blood Mountain, correct?" I said, being unfazed at being abducted by the dragon like this. The ground must have been almost a mile below me by now. The air was rushing by me so quickly that it was hard to make out a word that I was saying, but Rayquaza still seemed to be able to hear me.

"Indeed. He will likely be horrified at its return, but this time, we have experience dealing with this entity from beyond the stars. I just pray we can stop it before it has a chance to spread its influence..." He said, explaining a few more details about what we were up against as I saw the largest mountain in the world come into view on the horizon. Piercing the clouds, it was a vast menagerie of ecosystems, with the greatest variety of life on the planet by far. It was a natural wonder that I had investigated many times, yet I still couldn't be too sure of all the inner workings of this marvellous yet dangerous mountain. I assumed that Xerneas had something to do with it, but I couldn't work out any of the details.

"Can you see him?" I asked as we started encircling the mountain from above. Seeing the snow capped peak, it reminded me that only a select few were ever able to climb to the top. I was the one who dispelled a lot of the myths and legends around the place when I was able to ascend to the summit twenty years ago, something that even Xerneas was impressed by.

"I believe I do. I will descend now." Rayquaza announced as we flew down to the ground. I was soon able to see the antlers of the great deer, but there was something that looked very off about Xerneas. It was hard to tell from a distance, but the true weight of the situation was about to be revealed. Rayquaza set me down as I slowly walked towards Xerneas, or more precisely, what was left of him. His antlers, that looked unusually grey, were splintered and broken to pieces. Some of the shards were sticking out of a nearby tree, others in the ground beneath my feet. His face looked like it was flat out torn in half, and it was only until now that I realised it had been severed from its body, and it looked like it wasn't a clean cut at all.

"...What could have done this?! ...It came here, didn't it?!" I said as I shuddered on the spot. Looking at the rest of its body, I saw that it was it was torn, ripped, blasted, maimed and seared in too many placed to count. I was amazed I even recognized it for what it was! Xerneas wasn't just killed – he was flat out slaughtered! Our one defence against this alien – gone before we even had a chance to act! It was strong enough to be able to tear Xerneas to pieces, so it was probably strong enough to be a real threat to Rayquaza and I.

"Rayquaza...what can we do now?" I said slowly and carefully, as I felt myself turn pale with fright. "If humans can resist this creature, then maybe that will help. We have to do _something!_ " However, it soon became clear that Rayquaza did not share my optimism. He kept looking up above him, as if he was expecting another meteorite to fall, and after a brief moment, he turned to face me again.

"I'm leaving. Quite simply, this planet is doomed, and I for one am not going to stay around to die alongside the world. I am not facing that thing again without Xerneas's help. I can help you escape this world if you wish. It has clearly learned from last time, and it looks like it doesn't want to be driven off using the same methods we used over two thousand years ago." Rayquaza said as my fear turned into fury. I felt my blood surging through the veins and arteries within my arm. This despicable coward! He could be the strongest living thing on this planet – every inhabitant here needs him in their hour of need!

"...What?! You can't just leave! We need you!" I yelled angrily at the mighty dragon in front of me. "From what I've seen, I don't think I can do this alone! See all the people living here? Their blood will be on your hands!"

"You're fighting a battle you can't win. It'll come for you, and use your power against you, just like it did to me. I'm not going to stay around to fall victim to its hunger again. If you want to stay and try and fight, by all means, but don't blame me when you discover that you might be doing more damage by staying here." Rayquaza said, seeming dead set on abandoning all form of responsibility. I faltered, as I struggled to think of an argument that could convince him to stay. I couldn't appeal to morality, since this dragon clearly had none.

So, this is it then. I stand alone in this war. How I missed The Sound of Perseverance...with him, I was never alone. I could always count on him to fight along beside me through to the end of time itself...why did you have to die all those years ago? I needed your help, buddy, more than I ever have in thirty five years.

"Right...fine, you go fly off into space then! But, I will make one thing very clear – abandon the planet, and you abandon it for good. You will _never_ be welcome here again! When I destroy this alien, I will tell everyone what happened here." I said bitterly as I growled at Rayquaza. I feared the extraterrestrial, but I didn't fear the dragon. If he dared try to attack me, I'd show him my lord's power without any mercy.

"There won't be much of a planet to go back too once it's done with it." Rayquaza declared, and it looked like he was about to shoot off into the stratosphere before I was able to ask one more thing.

"Fine, if you won't help me, then I'll get my own help. Humans resist this thing, so I'll simply have to summon some in then. Could you tell me how to do so?" I asked as Rayquaza detailed out an ancient summoning ritual that was used back in ancient times to summon a human that aided them back in the day. At least he was polite enough to stay to give me advice.

I looked at the remains of Xerneas and tried not to vomit – this would be an oddly bloody ritual, as I may have to use the remnants of its power from its cold dead corpse to start bringing humans in. No matter, I'd do whatever it takes, and it seems like I could channel my lords power to be able to break through to the other world and start pulling them through.

"Well, if you're determined to stay here...I'll wish you luck. You'll need it." Rayquaza announced, and with that, he flew right into the sky at an incredible speed. As soon as he left my sight, I felt truly alone again, but I knew I wouldn't be alone for too much longer. I could make many friends on the other side. Maybe, just maybe, I could see him again...no, he and the others have already done enough for us. It's not his battle this time, and I'm not going to drag him or his friends through these tribulations again. He earned the life he wanted, and I'm not taking it away from him again.

Looking across the land and sea from the slopes of Blood Mountain, I started wondering about the sort of humans I could use. Regardless of who I summoned though, I knew I'd be entering another war for the planet. As The Guardian of Forever, it was my sacred duty to protect the planet from all threats, and I would carry out my perennial quest, no matter the cost. For thirty five years, this world knew safety after I and The Sound of Perseverance defended it and its countless inhabitants from catastrophe, and it seems like my duties were to be called on once more. As much as I wanted to lament over how fragile existence itself really was, I knew the only thing I could do is to fight to preserve it as much as possible.

Thinking back to my old ally, I began to ponder what he'd think about all of this. As much as I didn't want to have to force the issue on the humans, I really didn't have a choice. The Sound of Perseverance would never forgive me for this for endangering his people like this, but his friendship, and potentially some human lives, is a sacrifice I'd have to make for this world. It's a tragic course of action, but what are the lives of a few humans compared to the millions on this world? Could the world forgive me if I wasn't willing to do whatever it takes to defend it from annihilation? I just hope they can understand and forgive me for recruiting them into an alien war.

Now, with billions of humans out there, which ones will I pick first...


	2. The Digital Man

**Pokemon: Incarnation**

 **Chapter 2: The Digital Man**

* * *

"I'm sorry Basil, I can't go through with your plan. Not this time." I heard my sister say as I dropped my numerous pages of notes in shock.

"Wh...what do you mean?! It's half an hour before the match starts, and you're backing out?! I spent two sleepless nights perfecting the best possible strategy against Omar and his team, and you're just going to ignore it?! Why, Melinda, why?!" I replied, almost screeching in surprise and dismay.

"I just don't see what you're trying to achieve with this. I know that his sceptile is a huge threat, so how do you expect anyone but Blaziken to be able to stand up to it? Also, a lot of these ideas and tactics seem really...quite cruel." She said as I started shuddering, fearing as though she might be returning to her old habits.

"Because that's what he does! I've cracked Omar's tactics by observing all his battles in this tournament so far! He always prepares his pokemon for the worst match up! If you go out there with conventional tactics, you will lose! See that sceptile? He'll likely litter the place with seed mines so Blaziken won't be able to do shit! He's done it time and time again, which is why you need mamoswine to take him out!" I said, picking up my notes to show her. "Get him to start generating a snowstorm immediately; that'll slow and wear the sceptile down. He can also make small tremors to trigger the mines remotely, and when you combine those things, he'll be very vulnerable!"

"And slowly draw out the pokemon's suffering? I know you were never one for etiquette, but it's universally frowned upon to battle like this by every national and international battling organizations, and for good reason. I won't slowly freeze or poison them into submission while drawing them endlessly around the arena. It's needlessly cruel, as well as this 'wing clipping' strategy you have for dealing with his toucannon. My team wouldn't be happy battling in a long, draw out fashion like this either! Besides, don't you have faith that Blaziken can pull through?" She asked, and I realised that I was starting to speak to her younger self. It felt like everything we had done together to reach the finals of the British Isles annual tournament was all falling apart at the seams over sentimental nonsense.

"With all due respect Melinda, I don't think he will. Sceptile will completely wreck him. Also, I don't give a shit about Omar's pokemon! I care about _your_ pokemon! I care about _you_! I want to see you and your team win! Yes, my tactics are underhanded, dirty and maybe even..." I said as I made an effort to visibly roll my eyes. "...Maybe even a bit mean, but it doesn't matter! These tactics are perfectly legal, and they _will_ grant you the victory as long as you can execute on them well! Say, Melinda, don't you care about your own pokemon? You're sending them out to battle without a proper strategy! You'll be responsible for allowing them to get hurt more than they need to be!"

"Don't lecture me about caring for pokemon Basil! You were a failure at that, hence why you gave up being a trainer!" She said as I felt the tensions rise even further. "Planning was _all_ you could do! You planned meticulously, but when your opponent did something odd, BAM! Plans in ruins, and because you were always shoddy at training your pokemon, you ended up failing at every corner!"

"No need to bring that up again, but if you insist, I'll remind you that you didn't even reach the semi-finals in the Yorkshire regionals until I graduated from university to help plan out your battles! You'd have gone nowhere near this far without my help! You're nothing without..." I said before I stalled myself. As angry and agitated as I was, I didn't want to say anything I'd regret. Regardless what she done, I'd still root for her, and I was still determined to see her win, even if I thought it was a lost cause by this point. "Melinda...I'll always stand beside you in what you do. I'll be honest with you – I don't think you'll win if you just try to improvise, but stranger things have happened I guess. Maybe you can prove me wrong. I think I'd love to see that more than anything."

"Don't worry about that, I'm sure my team will pull through." Melinda said, smiling at me. Clearly, she was more optimistic than I was, but I guess nothing was impossible.

"Well, I'll go take my place in the stands then. Go get that trophy – that Scottish Arab has nothing on you!" I said before waving her goodbye, figuring the best I could do by this point was to encourage her. Regardless of whether she won or not, I was really proud of her progress and how far she got. From a semi-finalist from the Yorkshire regionals to the British Isles tournament in one year...I think I could be happy with that.

"...And here comes the home-town favourite, Omar Haddad!" I heard the announcer say, seeing Omar walk into the stadium grounds with a Scottish flag around him alongside his team. The crowd of Edinburgh erupted into a searing wave of applause and cheers that almost drowned out the booming speakers that tried their best to keep the announcer's voice heard. "This is his sixth British Isles final in his long career as a professional trainer, and yet, he has never actually won! As he announced last month, this will be his last year as a trainer, so I can imagine him to be wanting to win and qualify for the 2067 worlds more than ever! I'm amazed that his sceptile and dragonite haven't even slowed down much given how old they are for professional battle pokemon at this level of competition! Trademarks of a true professional!"

"Opposing him from Yorkshire is Melinda Squire! She came out of seemingly nowhere with a slew of upset victories to get all the way to the final!" The announcer said as I saw my sister walk onto the field of battle, flanked by three members of her team on either side of her. Clearly, her sponsors wanted great photograph material. "Her strategic game has soared ever since her ventures in regional tournaments, which is often attributed to her brother and right hand man, Basil Squire. I wonder if he managed to come up with the strategy to undo a dominant Omar, who looks like the clear favourite to win this tournament. As a reminder to those of you just tuning in, the winner will be able to attend the world championship in Canada later this year."

"I wonder if the mysterious disappearances of national champions this year will ever weigh on their minds in this final?" The other commentator said with a thick Scottish accent. "The seventeenth disappearance was noted today when Danil Egorov, the Russian champion, hadn't been seen in just over a week week. At this rate, we won't have much of a world championship."

"Doesn't seem like either Omar or Melinda are worrying about that by the looks on their faces though. Omar said in an interview recently that it was 'a bunch of conspiracy nonsense.'" The first commentator said as I began to think about this. Nah, it'll never happen to her. Regardless, I'd keep an eye on her, just to be on the safe side. On the bright side, if she did lose, like I expected, then it'll be Omar who'd have to worry about that, so it wouldn't be my problem.

Watching the battle unfold in front of me, it started going exactly how I thought it was, and Melinda was already falling behind quickly, only having two pokemon left to Omar's four. I wanted to scream out to her and try to get her to listen to me, but all things considered, Omar's lead was insurmountable, given he was winning hard on all fronts.

"Honestly, I was expecting more from Melinda. She seems to be battling like she did for the past few years, and against Omar, it's not working at all." I heard the commentator said as she sent out Rhyperior. Fool! I told her that Omar's exploud knew water techniques that Rhyperior wouldn't have a hope in the world of avoiding! However this heretic right here was about to be proved wrong, and the English crowd around be started cheering loudly when Rhyperior started gunning down Omar's exploud with an almost endless rock blast stream. He barely even got a chance to act before the referee declared it defeated. I hardly anticipated such a degree of accuracy when firing away that quickly, and from such a huge distance too!

"Doesn't seem like Melinda's going down easily though, that was such a perfect execution! She still has to deal with sceptile and dragonite though." One of the commentators said before Omar sent out Sceptile. He looked old for a battle pokemon, but experience and intelligence was something this pokemon had in spades. I knew he was more then capable of taking out Rhyperior and Blaziken and ending this with a 3-0 victory. I sat there, praying Melinda would pull a rabbit out of the hat, but sceptile was effortlessly dodging every flying rock and boulder sent at him, and looked like he was already setting up a sea of mines. Sceptile eventually pressed the assault, throwing energy balls at Rhyperior, eventually bringing it to his knees, and did didn't even need its mega form to do so!

"You're going to need a miracle now..." I muttered as I saw her send out Blaziken, her last pokemon left. I could see the entire thing unfold now. I studied this potential match-up heavily. They'd both mega evolve, and sceptile would just run rings round him. As soon as Blaziken stood on a seed mine, he'd be juggled endlessly. I really wanted Blaziken to suddenly turn into a war god and bring about a legendary comeback and an upset win for Melinda, but two short minutes after they both mega evolved, Sceptile stood victorious after slam dunking Blaziken into mine after mine.

"YEEESSS!" I heard Omar scream through a microphone before dropping to hug Sceptile, the middle aged man acting like an excited child on the morning of its birthday.

"It took him nineteen times in the British Isles championship, six finals, but in the twilight of his career, he finally done it! We have your representative for the he world championship, Omar Haddad!" I heard the commentator scream into the microphone, trying to sound himself over the Scottish crowd. It went pretty much as I expected, though the thoughts of 'what if she just listened to me?' still raced through my head endlessly as I walked down to the preparation hall to meet her after being mobbed by the press.

"Sorry Basil, I really should have listened." She said, looking more down than she let on while she was battling Omar. She wiped her straight black hair out her eyes and sat down sadly beside me.

"I know it's real painful to get this close to winning, only to fail at the last hurdle, but all things considered, you did tremendously well to get this far." I said, trying to make her feel better.

"It's not just that Basil. I feel as though I let people down. I let my fans down, I let my pokemon down, I let you down. My pokemon, barring a couple of them, did what they could, as did you. This failure was on me, all because I wasn't willing to go the extra mile and do what I needed to do to win." She said, sounding completely gutted – a far cry from the respectful way she acted in front of the press just after the match was over. "I just never considered what was really at stake there. Think it's due to my inexperience in tournaments this big?"

"Ah, don't beat yourself up over it too much. Besides, you're only twenty-seven – your career as a professional trainer has only just begun, and I'll still gladly be your primary analyst." I said, smiling softly and patting her on the back. "Still, the important thing is that you learn from this."

"I know; trust you and don't hold back." She said slowly, looking a little better.

"Your pokemon will thank you for this. Oh look, I'm on TV!" I said, pointing at the screen in the corner of the room, where I saw a clip of Melinda and I speaking to one another before the match through what must have been a very well hidden camera. My somewhat fluffy blond hair made me looked a bit taller than I actually was, the strands rising up from my centre part before falling to the waysides, stopping just before my ears.

I always looked rather pale, though it seemed to be exaggerated slightly in the photograph of me that they used, which made my green eyes stand out even more. Sadly, they also caught my awful attempt at smiling. It looked rather creepy, as if I was some kind of sociopath who was in the middle of torturing a poor victim. Or maybe that was just Melinda teasing me about it so often that I started to actually believe I looked like that when I smiled.

"...He's clearly done wonders for Melinda. Looking into his past when he was a part-time trainer while at the University of York, he always seemed like he was a natural mastermind of battle theory, tactics and strategy, even though he was faltering badly at all other facets. He could be one of the great minds of professional battling. Amazing how he could rank alongside Kubota Susumu and 'Lord' Taylor at this rate, and given he's only twenty-three, he has decades to go before he retires if he keeps this up. I know that he and Melinda faltered hard in the final against Omar, but I can't wait to see more of them in the future." One of the pundits said, making me smile broadly. Were my talents and skills being regarded this highly already?

"Hah, Melinda! We'll smash 'em next year!" I said happily, which seemed quite infectious to Melinda.

"I'm feeling a bit better now. I'll go talk to my pokemon for a short while then meet you at the party. Something I need to get done before we have some fun..." She said as I gave her a confused look.

"...Oh yeah, the party...for the top sixteen, right?" I asked, only vaguely remembering this being mentioned earlier.

"And one guest for each...you're invited, in case you didn't get the message." She said, grinning slightly and stood up. She was quite a bit taller than me, though that was more due to me getting the short gene in the family. I confess, only standing at 1.7 meters occasionally made me a bit self-conscious.

"Yeah, I'll go get ready for it." I said, gathering my stuff into a large backpack quickly.

"Got your costume?" She asked as I gave her an even more baffled look, looking into her eyes which were just as green as mine. "You _do_ know about the traditions of the British Isles tournament, right?"

"Sorry, I was too busy planning out your victories to worry with such nonsense." I said, putting my bag on my back.

"Every British Isles final takes place on Halloween, and it's customary to dress up as a pokemon for this prestigious party." She explained as I coughed, trying to hide my laughter.

"Please, Melinda – 'dressing up as pokemon' and 'prestigious party' are not two phrases that belong in the same sentence." I said as she frowned slightly, getting what I assumed were two costumes out from the locker she was using.

"Guess I got you this one for nothing then." She said, turning to look at me through the far corner of her eyes. Sighing, I took it off her.

"You know I always found Halloween a giant waste of time...but...only for you, Mel'..." I said, taking a look at it. A noivern costume. A big dumb dragon. She could have at least got me a costume of a pokemon I liked. "Only...for you...I'll meet you there."

"Nine thirty at The Voodoo Rooms, and be sure to _try_ and have fun." She said, as we left Murrayfield stadium. Walking out onto the street, I wondered if I had achieved any degree of fame? I knew Melinda had, hence why her sponsors organized travel for her, but I hated being bustled around by them, so I just went my own way to destinations. Seeing her lose in such a horrible fashion was still bothering me, but I'd get over it to face the next days. The past hurt a bit, but I could learn from it. It was the future, however, that I was always anticipating every second of. How could I find a way to deal with the cringe of a Halloween party? What a stupid and pointless tradition!

A few people recognized me on the street, and it was quite embarrassing fighting for the losing side. Some of them chanted 'Omar, Omar Omar!' over and over again in my face when I was on the way to get a taxi to The Voodoo Rooms. Perhaps the party wouldn't be as bad as this. I flagged down a taxi with the simple push of a button on the empty taxi rank, and I saw one drive its own way to me within about fifty seconds. Seems like service was a little faster here than in York. I marked the coordinates in the panel once I got inside, and off the taxi went, winding quickly and efficiently through the streets of Edinburgh.

These self-diving vehicles always made me feel a little nervous in case something went wrong, but it seemed like the technology had been perfected enough to cause less accidents than human drivers, so I suppose it was an irrational fear. Paying the 'driver', I walked outside and shivered a bit, not noticing how cold it was earlier. Seemed like I was one of the first ones to be here, since I only recognized the Welsh champion who we defeated in the quarter finals getting out of another taxi that was just ahead of me. He was already dressed up in his costume, as an excadrill to be precise, and was talking to some interviewer. I didn't want to get involved with that as I went straight inside.

"...Yes, Melinda said I was coming. Check the guest list if you like. She'll be here in about fifteen minutes." I told the bouncer, frowning ever so slightly as he let me in. Finding a toilet cubical, I discreetly changed into my costume. While it looked unbelievably stupid on me, it was at least of reasonable quality and fit oddly nicely. The wings underneath my arms would make holding things a little tricky, and I could already see myself knocking over a couple of drinks before the night ends thanks to these things. My face was mostly uncovered, so I thankfully could see, speak, eat and drink just fine tonight.

Tucking the loose strands of hair away underneath those awkwardly large ears and ensuring the costume's tail wouldn't get stuck in the hall, I left the bathroom to find a few of the guests had arrived in the hall, including Omar himself. He was dressed as a sceptile, clearly proud of the ace of his team. The Voodoo Rooms looked fairly antiquated, with a couple of chandeliers dangling from a fancy, painted ceiling. Gold paint seemed to cover almost everything metal, as tropical plants shaded the black leather table booths. It was a bit of a bizarre mishmash, all things considered.

"Hey dude! I was hoping Melinda would bring you!" Omar said through his shaggy beard as he swiftly moved up to me to shake my hand, clutching a glass of champagne in his left hand. His dark hair, which was even messier than my own, bounced rather merrily as he walked towards me quickly.

"Yeah...any reason?" I said, not feeling quite as friendly and forward as he was. He still seemed to carry a youthful energy in spite of approaching his late fifties, and it made me a little uncomfortable.

"No particular reason. Guess it's more interesting seeing people who worked with the trainers rather than just being a spouse or something that most of them bring to the top sixteen British Isles tournament party, though I'd be somewhat hypocritical there, uhuh! I've been to over ten of these things, it's always fun! When's Melinda coming?" He said, clearly still overjoyed at finally winning the title that had been eluding him for so long.

"Any moment now I'd imagine." I said simply. "It's a shame, really. I had a plan to undo you pretty hard, but Melinda didn't follow it."

"Aw really? I'd have love to have seen it! Actually, no, I wouldn't have. I just wanted to win after being in this business for so very, very long. I could tell that Melinda was underperforming badly, and I'm not complaining about that at all." He said, coughing slightly, his smile fading slightly.

"Lying about wanting to face Melinda at her best before the match then in that live interview then?" I said, smirking slightly at him. "Trust me, I'd have loved for you to choke too."

"Sponsors are always looking for a marketable image, so I just had to go along with what they asked. Still didn't stop the English fans from whining like babies all over the internet about all this. 'Waaaahhh, Omar only won because of cheese!' Seriously, sort our your fanbase!" He said before calming down a bit. "Eh, my fans acted like that too when I lost in previous tournaments I guess."

"I'm more concerned about the 'fans' giving my sister a verbal lashing after her underperformance. I'm not sure how she'll take it, given its the first time she's been on the big stage." I said as Omar looked around the room as if he was looking for something

Floyd, where are you? Must have got stuck in traffic, or maybe he's still tied up with police duty..." The rather emotional Arab trailed off as he checked his phone for messages.

"Hey Basil, looking good!" Melinda said, walking up to me and giving me a glass of some fancy looking cocktail. Of course her flygon costume had to be less restrictive than mine.

"Lemme guess; it's because these massive ears make me look like less of a manlet, right?" I replied, exaggerating a smile.

"It's a start anyway." She said and pat me on the head before speaking to Omar.

"So, you just qualified for worlds. Better watch out for those alien abductions then!" Melinda said as Omar laughed loudly.

"That won't happen to me! Sceptile actually got worried about it though, but that's nothing compared to my guest that I invited here. He's super paranoid about it, and I wouldn't be surprised if he orders police protection for me, whether I like it or not. Hope he doesn't make me regret inviting him over my wife." He said, taking a big swig of champaign as if it were a light beer. "Great guy though. He introduced me to Sceptile, and speaking of which, that's him there!" He continued and pointed to a fairly tall and muscled person, who put up his hand, or, to be more precise, his claw, in greeting. Well, maybe I wasn't the silliest looking one there, since his fairly bushy grey moustache looked beyond silly with the scizor costume he was wearing.

"You know, if it wasn't a costume party with a theme, I'd have just dressed in my uniform. People would have assumed I was dressing up as a policeman." Floyd said, clearly not being too thrilled about dressing up as a pokemon either. "Sorry I'm late, had to do some important paperwork. Still, what a performance Omar! Amazing how you managed to completely shatter...Melinda." He said, only just realising that she was right there.

"Well, it was a one-sided; I won't pretend it wasn't." She said, shaking his hand. I shook his hand right afterwards, but for some reason I couldn't explain, I couldn't look him in the eye while doing so.

"Oh Floyd, have you seen Sceptile since the final?" Omar said, bringing out a pokeball as I saw the tall, bulky policeman shake his head. "He really wants to see you!" He said and let him out, which I didn't think was allowed within this building, but it was clear that Omar didn't care.

"Omar, I don't think that's-" Floyd said, but was immediately cut off by Sceptile who pounced on him, and started smothering him with hugs and nuzzles. Everyone in the hall noticed this and started smiling and laughing as Floyd tried his best to survive the affection. "Damn it Sceptile, compose yourself! Yes, I am very proud of you and stuff, but could you take it easy for one moment?!"

"Sorry, I'm just so happy right now!" Sceptile said, getting off the rather dizzy looking Floyd before helping him up. The idea of a talking pokemon was very rare, albeit hardly unheard of, and Sceptile was quite well known for speaking English quite fluently.

"We're getting old; we're both in our mid fifties. Mind acting your age?" Floyd grumbled, though he still looked very happy for Sceptile and Omar.

"Yeah, but you're still adorable." Sceptile teased as Floyd started looking a bit less stoic and composed.

"I am not cute! ...And someone's already probably in the middle of uploading this online. Thank you. Sincerely." Floyd said, sounding quite indecisive on whether he was happy or annoyed. "Sorry, very stressful day at work. Had to organize all the security for the final, which was no easy task."

"Eh, humans have always been pretty cute to me ever since I evolved into a Sceptile." He said, grinning cheekily at him.

"...Ok, back onto more pressing matters. Omar, I'm going to have a couple of officers stay with you for a while until we can figure out what's going on with the disappearing champions. Don't worry, I won't have them breathing down your neck and whatnot." Floyd said, giving Omar a serious look

"You're overreacting buddy, I'll be fine." Omar said but Floyd shook his head.

"Sorry, that's not for you to decide. Also, Sceptile, keep a very close eye on him for me, would you?" Floyd said firmly. He was clearly off duty, but he still acted like he was doing administration work.

"All these years, and you still don't know how to relax." Omar said, grumbling slightly before getting himself another drink.

"Not wanting to take any chances, not until we know what's behind the disappearances." Floyd said, clearly not interested in having any drinks. He retreated to a table by himself with a glass of water and some nuts, and as the night continued, I swore I could see him constantly watching Omar. It was hard to really pinpoint why, but I really hated the sound of his voice. Was it because it sounded so nasally? Somewhat gravelly? All things considered, as long as these strange disappearances didn't affect Melinda, I had nothing to worry about. All things considered, if Omar did vanish, I'd almost be happy, since I'd know that Melinda dodged a massive bullet by not following my plan. Perhaps it was all for the best, and by next year, I'm sure the cause of these disappearances would be found and solved.

As the night went on, I started enjoying some fairly fancy whiskies. They all tasted rather delicious, but after a while, I was wondering whether I had enough. Nah, I'll have one more...

"So what happened in the final? Melinda-" One of the semi-finalists said before I cut him off.

"I'm keeping that a secret. I'm not revealing any strategies. Nice try!" I said, giving him an awkward, cheeky smile. Looking around, Melinda was starting conversations with just about everyone, as was Omar. Floyd, however, just sat by the table all alone, observing everyone intently like a hawk in a hidden tree. What an absolute creep. The smell of drink and sweat started to become noticeable, as I noticed a couple of young trainers start to get seriously drunk and make a fool of themselves. I couldn't lie, I might be tempted to join them in a different circumstance. All through the evening, I swore that Floyd cast me nasty glances every once in a while, though that could just be my imagination.

"Melinda, think we should head home now?" I asked eventually. "It's about midnight, and I'd like to get back to the hotel."

"Sure, why not. Just gimme a few minutes to say goodbye to everyone. You should come with me." Melinda said, grabbing my arm and hauling me out of the chair. She made sure to say goodbye to _everyone_ there, even those who she didn't know until the party. She gave full sentenced farewells, whereas I just have a casual 'see ya.' I didn't bother saying anything to Floyd's ugly face, though he didn't seem interested in saying goodbye to me either, so it suited me fine.

"Hey Melinda, if you're wanting to keep up the training for the next couple of months, I could use a training partner to get ready for worlds, as well as testing out a couple of new pokemon once I get ahold of them. Want to be said partner?" Omar said before she got a chance to leave.

"Of course, I'd be glad to! Gotta keep my team and I in shape all year round if I want to win next year." She said happily.

"Alright, I'll keep in contact with you so we can arrange things when we're fully sober, huhuh!" Omar said, chuckling as we left the building to get a taxi. Melinda never even bothered to take off her costume, so I guess she really liked it. I felt ever so slightly woozy on the journey home, thinking I had about one or two too many drinks, but I had suffered far worse than this before when it came to alcohol through my university years. Melinda looked just fine though, even though she probably had more than me. The streets still looked somewhat busy, full of tipsy people who were likely still celebrating Omar's victory, being the first Scotsman to win the British Isles tournament for twenty-two years. Good for them to be so full of jubilation. I guess.

"Oh, shit. I forgot to check my phone!" I said, seeing that I had about thirty texts and fourteen missed calls from friends and family. "Er...I think they'll still be awake." I muttered to myself as I started addressing each and every person on the way back to our hotel room, apologizing to each and every one of them for not getting back to them sooner.

"It's ok, it was a hectic and busy day for you." They all said, or some variation of those words, but it was still rather thoughtless of me to not respond sooner. Slouching down on the chair in the hotel room, I made a grab for my laptop to view the footage from today's match against Omar, already wondering what lessons can be learned from it. The hotel room probably wasn't as glamorous as our sponsors would have liked, but expensive hotels were always such a waste to me. I'm here to see the city, not slob around in a room!

"Not getting some sleep Basil?" She asked me as she lied down on her bed.

"I assume you're not either, given you're still wearing that thing." I said, still looking at the screen. I only was able to see her through the faint reflection of the screen as I watched the start of the match, furiously taking notes as I did so. It was hard to concentrate since I felt a bit drunk, but that wasn't going to stop me. "By the way, you mentioned that you needed to do something before we went to get ready for the party. Don't tell me you're replacing team members again Mel'!"

"Weavile and Fearow are getting the boot for not working as hard as the others." She said firmly as I sighed in frustration.

"Fearow did fine in the match; he wasn't the reason you lost." I replied, my eyes narrowing slightly at her. "Ok, Weavile choked hard, but-"

"I worked round the clock to get as far as we did, as did you and the other four pokemon. We gave it everything we got, and they two didn't. They cut corners during training and didn't put in all the hours that the other four did. I don't tolerate team members not giving it a hundred percent, but it was too late to replace them when I realised the issues. They don't know about it yet though, so don't tell them. I'll work out a way to break the news next week." She said as I grunted slightly.

"Yet, during the battle itself, I can tell you who was the one who didn't give it their all. Here's a hint about who that is: I'm looking at them right now." I said as Melinda sighed sadly. "...Sorry Mel', I didn't mean to be so-"

"Nah, you're right. If I applied my own rules to myself, I'd be retiring right now. Listen, it's more for a team morale thing: If someone slacks off, it'll only encourage the others. I want a team that can inspire each other to put everything they've got into their training. Each team member must think and feel along these lines, but clearly Fearow and Weavile simply don't. I could already see that Rhyperior was getting frustrated with them as a result. Listen, I promise to follow your lead when it comes to preparation and tactics from now on. I need to lead them by example you know." She said said as I merely nodded in response before returning to my work.

"You can rest for a few days Basil, you don't need to work all the time." Melinda said, getting up to get changed in the bathroom.

"I can rest when I'm dead! You're winning next year, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that happens. When I say everything, I mean everything! I can't afford to be a slacker either." I called out as she went into the bathroom as I continued to make notes, before making even more notes. Weavile standing too far back against crawdaunt, Dodrio's running patterns becoming way too predictable...so much to discuss and improve.

"You'll only burn yourself out like this. Enjoy a week off, then we can have a look. The next notable tournament we can enter isn't until February next year anyway." Melinda said, trying to lecture me into sleep. I guess she was right, and overworking her team wouldn't help anyone. I guess I can think about it in the morning. After getting into my pyjamas and brushing my teeth, I climbed into the other bed. Sleeping would be a little rough tonight, and while I didn't think much of the party, it sure seemed to make Melinda feel better, so I couldn't complain.

"Hey Mel', if Omar really does get taken away to nowhere land or whatever, then not listening to me really was the right call. Maybe this is some next level improvisation from you, haha!" I said laughing slightly as I set my alarm for the morning.

"That's pretty callous towards Omar." She said, frowning slightly.

"Barely know the guy, barely care about him." I said, shrugging as I put my phone down on the bedside table to wake me up in the morning.

"How typical...anyway, we can hopefully explore the city without being hounded too much by the locals. Beautiful place, and with no battling to worry about, we can relax and just have a good time." She said, smiling slightly after giving me the look of disapproval.

"Sounds like a good idea. Goodnight Mel'." I said as I started falling asleep. The bed was particularly comfortable, and I was wondering if I could get a bed like this for myself back home in York. I think I'd like that very much. It made sleep a breeze, even with the whisky flowing through my veins.

The pounding riff of BU2B from woke me up very quickly at half past eight in the morning. I reached over for my phone before accidentally knocking the loud device onto the floor with a small thud.

"Whoops..." I said, crawling out of bed to silence the alarm. I looked around to see if Melinda was already awake, which I assumed she must have been, because she wasn't in her bed. Scratch that, she didn't seem to be in the room at all! I quickly checked the en suite bathroom, and she wasn't their either. Was she that hungry that she went to get food without me? She could have woke me up! Regardless, I felt quite smelly after last night, so I made a quick dash for the shower to clean my self up, thinking she'd have returned by the time I got washed, dried and changed. However, I was wrong.

"Melinda, where are you..." I muttered as I decided to give her a quick text, only to hear her phone buzz from the other side of her bed, and it wasn't until I looked over at the source of the sound that I noticed a piece of paper on her bedside table. Perhaps she had to go somewhere for her sponsors in a hurry or something like that, but as I read the note she left me, I discovered she was a long way from here. A very, very, _very_ long way away.

The more I read, the more I felt the colour drain from my face as my mouth became dryer than the Sahara Desert. By the end of the note, I was in a state of absolute terror and felt trapped in a barbed cage of helplessness. Yesterday wasn't the best of days for me, being full of disappointment and whatnot, but today...the day had only just begun for me, and it was already ranking up there with one of the worst days in my entire life.

 _Dear Basil:_

 _I had a very unusual dream at about three in the morning. All I could see and hear was an entity who referred to himself as 'The Guardian of Forever.' He only said I had ten minutes left in the human world before he would take me to his own plane of existence, saying that I was needed to held defend and save his planet. He kept fading in and out, and I couldn't tell what he looked like at all. I had no idea what to say to him, but I figured hat this was just a crazy alcohol-induced dream, so that nothing would happen. Then again, if this entity is the source of the highest ranked trainers disappearing all across Earth, then perhaps I'm his next target. If you are reading this and I am not there, then I have been taken._

 _If I never see you again, I just wanted to say that you were the best brother that any sister could have ever asked for, and that I'll know you'll kick some serious ass in whatever you end up doing in life._

 _Love, Melinda._


	3. Lock And Key

**Pokemon: Incarnation**

 **Chapter 3: Lock and Key**

* * *

The day had only just begun and it was already as dark as a black hole. Worse than the time I almost got eaten by a feraligator while I was lost in the swamps of Louisiana, and just as bad as when my father died in a car crash four years ago. The skin on my body was becoming even paler than usual as it shuddered at odd intervals, and it took me a lot of concentration to not have my fingers pierce the skin of my hands as I made some of the tightest fists I ever had in my life. What could I do? How do I act when life throws you a curveball of malice like this? What should I plan? Is there anything that could be done aside from sitting around in despair until I eventually move on with my life? She was gone, just like that. Didn't even say goodbye to me; not even a single last word.

"Why didn't you take Omar instead?! He won! He's the one you want!" I said, screaming angrily as I kicked the bedside table out of sheer fury. "Fuck you, 'Guardian of Forever', whatever the fuck you actually are!" I screamed as I collapsed on the bed, not caring whether I got any unwanted attention or not. My rage was still pounding through my muscles as I breathed deeply, tensing all my muscled with each inhale. I was furious, yes, but the quiet voice of reason in my head told me that lying around in an angry stupor wouldn't change anything.

I should be doing what I always do in life – plan ahead. What happened? Melinda, alongside other top trainers, was taken to another realm of existence by a mysterious entity. I could perhaps at least assume that she was alive, at least for now, and that all hope for her was not lost. Maybe she could return at any moment? Maybe The Guardian of Forever saw that he meant to take Omar and not her, and that he'd send her back right where he found her! Looking round at the bed she lied in, I stared for a few minutes. Any moment now, she'd be back, and with an experience to boot! Maybe this won't all be so bad...no, she's not coming.

"Of all the people..." I said miserably, trying to think of what could be done. Hah, I suppose I could just visit that world myself and drag her back to where she belongs. If only...if only...

My musings were cut short by Melinda's phone going off. At least her choice of song for the phone ringing, 'Show Don't Tell, was good. I pretty much felt obliged to scrape the bottom of a bottomless barrel for positives in my current situation to help keep me grounded. I knew her pin number, so I decided to answer it, though I was unsure how I could answer questions on her whereabouts.

"Hello?" I answered softly.

"Could we speak with Melinda please?" A very formal voice sounded from the other end, so I assumed it was one of her sponsors. "Who is this?"

"I'm her brother, Basil. Listen, Melinda's not here right now. Truth be told, I have no idea where she is, or when she'll be back. I'll tell her to phone you back as soon as I see her again." I said, my voice wavering as I was forced to subtly reference the situation.

"Well, try to make it sooner rather than later." The voice on the phone said before they hung up. It reminded me of another big problem that sent another dose of panic through every nerve end – I wouldn't be the only one wanting to see Melinda. Should I just flat out tell them what happened? No one would believe me without evidence, and they might even see me as being suspicious. There was the note she left, however, but I still had a feeling that people might think it was forged. What to do...I guess the best that I could do for now is tell the police. They'll probably declare her as missing in a few days if I never said anything anyway, then I'd be at the eye of the storm of the law, and I hardly needed more stress than what I was going through right now. I suppose I could go to the local police station and hand in this note she left me. Given she was able to identify an alias of the one who took her away, it would be a start.

My car was hardly a Barchetta, nor was it red, but it still had a fair share of modern luxuries. I was well paid for my services as a battle analyser, so I could afford this sort of thing. Entering the coordinates to the nearest police station, I set the car off to drive there through the streets of Edinburgh. The entire city looked like it was in war between the modern and the ancient, as it was fighting to keep up with all the modern metropolises of the world, but always remembering and honouring its heritage, like so many capital cities do. It wasn't quite as beautiful or as historic as York, but that was probably my home town bias speaking. It's a tragedy really; by now, I'd probably be wandering the streets with Melinda if it weren't for that bastard.

The car parked itself in a nearby car park that was almost full as I saw the police station from across the street. As much as I wanted to dash across the street, jaywalking had become a more serious offence lately, and I wasn't wanting to get caught doing so outside of the police station of all places; I didn't want to make my already dire situation even worse. I shivered slightly as I opened the door slowly as I saw a policewoman behind the counter, looking at a her computer before she noticed me.

"Excuse me, I'd like to report a missing person." I said slowly before I saw another law enforcer enter the entrance hall to my right. The entire place felt squeaky clean, as if not a single dust particle was out of place. The walls, ceilings and floors were almost stark-white, with only the blue doors providing any sense of variety in colour, making things feel slightly less sterile than they could have. I felt the need to stay in place too with how orderly things seemed here.

"Ok sir, who is this person? I'll ask you for details afterwards." She said, getting ready to put the details into her computer. Another member of the police force suddenly entered the room. He looked oddly familiar, and he didn't make me feel good.

"It's Melinda Squire. Yes, that one. I'm her brother, Basil, and she left this note behind." I said as I handed it over to her. The policeman looked over her shoulder as she started entering the details onto the system. His eyes seemed to widen slightly as he asked for Melinda's note, prompting a quiet gasp from him.

"...Chief Superintendent Munro?" She said as I looked at him. It was that same guy that Omar invited! I instinctively narrowed my eyes at him, as if he could lash out at any second.

"If you have finished making a copy of the note, then I shall deal with this from here until further notice. Please, stay put here and continue your work. Mr Squire, come with me and I'll take the details." He said firmly, gesturing me to follow him. I began to feel quite suspicious as to why such a high ranking police officer would want to take command here instead of delegating, though it was more likely to create a minimal panic when a famous person suddenly vanishes.

"Sit." He said formally, pulling out the chair for me as he sat down at his desk in his poorly lit room, almost as if he was trying to make me feel uncomfortable. His office was still covered in the same white walls as the entrance, but they didn't help much when he only had the desk lamp on. Something felt very wrong about this, but I couldn't quite pinpoint why. Was he going to try and accuse me of being behind this?!

"When did you discover that Melinda had gone?" He asked, holding onto her note, staring at me with eyes as grey as his hair.

"On her bedside table at about quarter to nine in the morning. That's what she wrote, and I think it's linked to the disappearances from professional trainers all over the world." I said, feeling uneasy. Floyd adjusted himself in his chair and cleared his throat before starting to read the note again to himself. He retained his stoic expression for about five seconds before his eyes widened noticeably as he put his face closer to the note. His breathing had become slightly quicker and deeper as he looked into it further. It was almost like he had to read it twice for it all to sink in, and it seemed like he may have been hiding some emotional involvement, even though he was clearly trying not to show it too much.

"Found something?" I asked, though he ignored me until he had finished reading it again and slowly put down the note on the desk with an expression of shock and dismay, as if the words there found a way to injure his middle-aged, yet muscular frame. He looked around his office for a bit as if he was looking for something, but when I tried to speak, he put up his hand to silence me.

"I shall only tell you the truth, Mr Squire, but I can't promise you'll like it. I think I know where your sister is and who's been behind these kidnappings." He said with a concerned and horrified expression on his face. I heard him mutter something under my breath, sounding vaguely like 'I can't believe I was ever your friend,' and I started wondering if he knew who this 'Guardian of Forever' could be.

"Who?! Where is she?! Is there a chance you can bring her back?!" I said desperately, as I started to feel as though he had the answers. Floyd didn't look to comfortable about this, and I began to speculate why. Was this guardian guy a friend of his at one point? Was he involved? Was he the guardian? Would revealing why end his career? Or was the truth too absurd for anyone to believe?

"Mr Squire, what I am about to tell you will seem completely absurd. Quite frankly, I find it hard to believe myself, but I can only offer what I know, or at least what I believe to be true." He said, laying his hands gently on the desk, still staring at me, refusing to break eye contact. "Don't spread this knowledge until I say so. I don't want the public or even my other officers to start panicking. Of course, I technically can't force you..."

"...Fine." I said slowly, but I had every intention of breaking the news to the public should I feel the need.

"The Giratinan faith and the other world...that's where I think she is." He said with the most sincere voice, though I couldn't help almost spitting in shock when I heard this. Was he really implying that he thought it existed?! I thought that was just a bunch of nonsense from Giratina worshippers!

"That's where The Guardian of Forever comes from, and it seems like he's drawing trainers into his world from what this note says. I'm very grateful that Melinda thought to write this down. While it's a tragedy that she got taken along with the seventeen others so far, she was at least able to get an idea on what's happening here." Floyd said as I noticed him subtly get angrier the more and more he spoke.

"You know this guardian?" I asked, eager to try and find out more. Nothing scared me more than going into a situation blind, and while the truth would probably be unpleasant, it's still better than not knowing at all, since I can at least act accordingly.

"...Yes, and that's all I'll say. Obviously, I think you can see the problem we have here." He said, grinding his teeth ever so slightly as he spoke. It was such a disgusting, horrible sound that made me irrationally hate him even more.

"If you know him, can you get him to see you so you can get him to get my sister back from goodness knows where?" I said, trying not to be pushy. I didn't want to antagonize a police officer, let alone one who looked almost twice my size. His ramblings seemed be utter lunacy, but I was willing to take anything, and I mean anything, that might help me find Melinda.

"Only seen him once, and that was thirty years ago. He left for his own world after our brief meeting. Regardless, that's all I can go into for now." He said and stood up slowly. "I will try to find a possible solution, but, as I'm sure you you've already figured out, one can't simply go to a different dimension." He said as I tried to hide the glare I shot him. He was probably taking the piss, but I wouldn't be taken for a fool.

"So you're saying you can't do anything?!" I said, feeling my resentment grow, of both The Guardian of Forever and Floyd.

"Look, I promise I'll do everything I can." He said sternly at me. "I've been tracking down these incidents ever since the Australian champion vanished a month ago, who was the fifth one recorded as being missing. Of course, if you can make any suggestions that can make this case easier, then I am all ears."

"How do you expect me to know?!" I blurted back.

"I understand that these are very stressful times, but please try to remain calm. I shall escort you to the station entrance and order a couple of investigators to have a look into the hotel room. Given this is a British victim, I can imagine all the police forces from around the country will put a lot of efforts into the investigations. Maybe they'll find something useful." Floyd said, his formal nature never wavering, though I could tell that he was very bothered about something. He took me to the doors before I walked out onto the street. That wasn't very useful, I bet he's not even going to try!

How could he think he could confuse me with such rubbish! Melinda, taken to that Giratina world, or whatever it was?! Preposterous! He must know, and he's hiding it! Why, perhaps he could be behind it all! It makes sense, given how suspicious it would be that he suddenly intervened to talk to me the way he did. He flat out admitted to knowing who The Guardian of Forever was. He had to know more than he was letting on, and I would find out one way or another, regardless what that crooked man thought of professional conduct or legislation!

How could I get more information? This proved to be a tricky endeavour, since I doubt he'd give it over willingly, and I couldn't exactly force it out of him...or could I? Reaching into my bag where I put Melinda's stuff, I felt the pokeballs. I'm sure her pokemon would be just as invested in seeing her again as I was, and since they were tough enough to reach the finals...yes, this would be the way! I did not care about what would happen to me regarding the cops – I _will_ find Melinda! However, I wanted to make this work well. Obviously, storming the police station wouldn't end well, but if I could catch Floyd on his own with the entire team behind me, he wouldn't stand a chance, and then I could call the shots!

Where did he live? Well, I'm sure I could get help in the form of Fearow. Yes...all I'd need to do is to find out which one of the cars within the station walls were Floyds and have Fearow follow him from high above. Then he'd be at home, where I could enact step two. I could throw all the pokeballs in right through a window so that the pokemon would be in the house where they can apprehend him. Then I could begin my interrogation and find out where that bastard took Melinda. Hang in there sister, Basil is coming! This wasn't too different to planning out a battle for Melinda – take it step by step, and be sure to execute everything well, and then you win.

The nagging voice in my head telling me that this was a reckless idea that would get me arrested and imprisoned was silenced, as the voice telling me that this was Floyd's fault became dominant. Moving to a fairly secluded location that was still near the police station, I sent out all of Melinda's pokemon, and as expected, they were looking around expecting to see her. They couldn't speak, obviously, but I think they'd understand the message.

"Melinda has vanished, been taken away by The Guardian of Forever, and I think I know who it is." I said, bringing up a picture Melinda took on her phone of Floyd. Perhaps the moment was ruined slightly by having a picture of him in a scizor costume, but the point still stood. They looked collectively horrified that their beloved trainer had been taken from them, but I'd soon turn that horror into determination. "I have a plan though, and I'll need all of you on board..." I said as I began to tell them in great detail, much like I would tell my old team in my trainer days. They all seemed to get angry and on board, and with our goals aligned, we were now a force to be reckoned with. It was just as well that Weavile and Fearow didn't know that my sister planned to boot them from her team!

"Fearow, I will strap Melinda's phone to you so I can keep track of you using mine." I said, making a makeshift strap so the phone was secured tightly to her body. "I'll need you to hang around by the tall tree and keep watch of the police car park. When you see Floyd enter his car, follow him to his house and when you do so, fly in a circle four and a half times. Be discreet, and don't let Floyd get suspicious. Understand?" I asked as she nodded as I returned the rest of her team to their balls. Unfortunately, Floyd would end up taking his sweet time leaving as I got more agitate by the hour. Did Fearow miss him somehow? Eventually, five hours later, I saw Fearow suddenly fly off and follow a car from high above. That must be him! Checking my phone, I was able to track where Fearow was flying off to, and it seemed to be towards the edge of the city. Hopefully it wouldn't be busy there.

After a few short minutes, I got into my car and kept track of Fearow's location on my phone. I didn't want to set coordinates until I could see what house he lived in. Questions started swarming my head, especially about whether this was really a good idea or not. Regardless whether I was right or wrong about this man, I'd probably go to prison for several years for what I was about to do. Maybe Melinda will show up the next day, and everything would be fine again.

It wasn't too late to back out after all, yet I started suspecting something. Who else could my sister's mysterious kidnapper be except for Floyd! He must be The Guardian of Forever, or at least working for him! Was he even really human? No human can just walk between the worlds and send helpless victims there! It'd explain why he seemed to know a lot about this, not to mention why my skin crawls with fury every time I see or think of the guy. There was something very wrong about him, and I'd expose it to the world, prison be damned!

Getting the signal from Fearow, I set my car off as I watched the sky turn dark above me. This would help cover me and my ambitions from any onlookers who could ruin it all for me. The sun had now set on Floyd's reign of terror, and I would be the one to bring it to its final close! From what I could see from Melinda's team, they were just as determined as I was as I felt the most important 'battle' of my life approaching quickly. My car pulled up to a car park nearby as I saw Fearow fly around the area. She noticed me as I thanked her for a job well done and returned her. Seems like the street of Buckstone Crescent had some trees behind them. Excellent, I could approach Floyd's house from behind.

No one noticed me as I was able to sneak between a couple of empty looking houses and I hid in the woods. The creatures there, if there were any, paid no heed to my sudden intrusion as I made my way to the back of Floyd's house. Peering through the leaves and bushes, I could see a light on in one of the rooms, leading me to believe that he was in. His house looked fairly basic and plain, considering he was probably pretty well off for being a high ranking law-enforcer. Guess living conditions were one thing we grudgingly shared in common. Question is, was he alone? Hah, I doubt a loathsome man like that would ever have a family, so he was probably alone, but I couldn't be sure.

Regardless, I have six pokemon behind me – I'd just have to apprehend anyone with him as well! I crept up quickly, seeing that he wasn't in the room, and I hid behind the window. Now, I'd need to be quick for this. I'd need to throw six pokeballs hard enough to break the window, but if I took too long, Floyd may be able to call for help. Maybe he was armed too, and I suddenly feared for the safety of Melinda's pokemon. No, they'd be too quick for that bastard; they'd surely be fine. I'd make sure of that.

...No, I couldn't do this. What if I was making a mistake? What if I was wrong about Floyd, or what if Floyd legitimately couldn't do anything about this? I'd be setting myself up for imprisonment for several years, and I might never be able to get a job again. Maybe Floyd will just tell me if I ask him. Maybe he'll be a bit looser now that he's off duty, though I still wanted a backup plan. I guess I could wait an hour if he turns me down, then proceed with my original plan, though then again, perhaps I was just letting the raw anger and grief that I was suffering get to me too much. I needed to think straight here, now more than ever. As much as I loved my sister, I couldn't afford to get too reckless.

Sneaking round onto the street, I slowly walked into the driveway and approached the door. I was about to press the bell, but I stopped when I heard voices coming from inside. I guess he wasn't alone after all! Naturally, I put my ear to the door to see if I could hear anything. It was too quiet for my phone to pick up and record, but I could do that once I got inside without them noticing.

"Floyd, I'm going to be blunt here; you need some time off. Badly. Just call your boss, he'll understand. Probably, I've never met the guy." Another man said, his voice being somewhat recognizable to me.

"If I take a break now, I'll only be thinking about all this shit. I need to keep going Omar." Floyd responded.

"You didn't seem like you even wanted to have fun at the party, and you've been acting strange since last week. Sorry to bring this up, but I'm only assuming it's because your father died last week." Omar replied, clearly sounding concerned.

"I've seen officers die on the spot and I moved on just fine." I heard Floyd say, though he was clearly grumbling as he spoke.

"I've been close friends for about thirty five years, and I know that this is the first time you ever lost someone that was close to you." Another, really strange voice said, sounding rather raspy and hissy.

"Sceptile, I won't pretend that it didn't get to me, which is why dwelling on it will only make me feel worse. I need to push on with this for my sake, as well as the public's. Speaking of my duties, I'll need a strong word with the officers that let you go." Floyd said, his voice still carrying grumbling undertones.

"See Floyd? This is exactly what I'm getting at? If I didn't know any better, your decisions are becoming a little erratic. Besides, don't you think your obsession over the missing trainers is starting to interfere with your work?" Omar asked as I suddenly heard Floyd shout in anger.

"Because no one will truly believe what's actually going on here!" He yelled, as the sound of him hitting something made me jump slightly in surprise.

"Remember what I told you earlier? About The Guardian of Forever? Remember who referenced himself as that at one point, thirty years ago?! You know why I can't lie about anything, but how can I convince the others in the police department? It'll sound like I'm barking mad to them! And even if I could, what can be done about it? According to the note Miss Squire left, he visits you in a dream before taking you away! He doesn't even materialise on this planet! Oh, and before the two of you try to calm me down, the only way I can deal with this is if I can find a way to stop him!" Floyd said, finishing his rant. Well, that mostly proved he wasn't actually The Guardian of Forever. On the one hand, I felt highly relieved I decided to not break into his house, but on the other, I was a very, very long way from finding the actual villain.

"I see...well, I certainly hope you're not acting like this at work." Omar said as I heard Floyd scoff.

"Of course not, I have to be professional. However, you may be right. The police have a bit of a lead since Miss Squire was wise enough to write the note in advance before she was taken, and I have been a little sloppy in some areas. The others will at least have some kind of a lead, though I don't expect them to get anywhere. Maybe I should call for a holiday soon, and keep myself occupied with some independent research." Floyd said, sounding a little calmer.

"Good to hear man. I'll open the window to help you cool off." Omar replied as I noticed the window to my right. I'd be seen! Quickly thinking about what I could do, I looked around behind me. The driveway...I just happened to walk up it just before Omar went to the window! Taking the opportunity, I pressed the bell hard. It sounded harshly as the conversation inside was cut off.

"Probably an evening salesman. I'll deal with this quickly." Floyd said as he swung open the door. He didn't seem to react much initially as he looked down at me, though a frown was slowly making its way onto his face. "...Have you been stalking me?!" He said after growling slightly under his breath.

"Er, I...I, I wanted to talk more about Melinda and The Guardian of Forever. Also, we both know that I haven't done anything illegal, so you can't arrest me." I said, stuttering slightly from nervousness. My breathing became a little faster as he stared at me, though I was able to quickly collected my thoughts and composure. "Now, Floyd, I'm pretty sure we both want to know about what happened to Melinda and how The Guardian of Forever is involved, so maybe we can discuss this now that you're off duty. Perhaps I can help you."

"...You really are a presumptuous, intrusive little cretin, aren't you? I was kind enough to share information with you given your familial relationship to Miss Squire. I assure you, the disappearance of your sister will cause a media storm, which, naturally, my men and women would rather not deal with, so we will do everything they can to find her and bring this mysterious culprit to justice." He said, still stuck in his perpetual frown.

"I think we both know they won't get very far with that." I said, hoping I wouldn't reveal my eavesdropping. "If The Guardian of Forever is some kind of supernatural entity that lives in a different world, then it's clearly beyond what regular cops can deal with."

"Clearly, it's beyond you too, unless you've discovered anything else that can help me." Floyd responded, still casting his narrow, judgemental eyes down at me.

"Who's at the door?" I heard the sceptile say loudly from inside the house. "Doesn't sound like a salesman."

"...A moment, Mr Squire." He said as he shut the door on me. This time, they talked rather quietly, and I couldn't make out a word. With any luck, the other two would convince him to let me in so I can wring more information from him. Even if Floyd would be useless to me, the least he could do is tell me exactly where Melinda and I stand with all of this. I tapped my feet on the ground with anticipation as I kept checking the time on the phone. Three minutes, four, five...they were taking their time!

"You're lucky the other guests persuaded me to let you in." Floyd said after opening the door. "Empty everyone of your pockets, and put all of their contents in your backpack, and let me see that they're empty." I couldn't really hold a grudge for this, given I already felt fortunate that Floyd was letting me in. I had to put all my pockets inside out so he could see for sure that they were empty. As soon as he did so, he asked me to give me his backpack so I could inspect it.

"Phone, wallet, an out-of-date store bought sandwich...and six pokeballs. Mr Squire, you will show me, one by one, what these pokemon are. Do so in the front garden." He instructed as I showed them off one by one. Well, so much for recording his voice in secret then. Thankfully, I never had the app open at the time, so he hopefully wouldn't suspect anything. "Interesting, this must be Melinda's team. I trust you're looking after them now."

"Not officially. It'll be a lawyer issue to see where they go." I said, but as soon as I sent out Rhyperior, he suddenly growled aggressively at Floyd. I returned him immediately as Floyd turned to look at me.

"Now you understand why I do safety checks. Pokemon-assisted assault is an extremely common crime. One that I trained extensively to deal with before moving to supervisory and organizational roles." He said, wondering if it was to intimidate me into toeing the line. "I shall keep a hold of this until you leave, which will hopefully be quickly. Now come inside." He said as I walked into his home. It was startlingly clean, leading me to believe he hired a maid of some kind or had an extremely loyal wife, though I doubt anyone would marry the guy unless he was after his money.

"Funny how we keep bumping into each other, eh? Just visiting Floyd to make sure he's ok since he's been under so much stress with everything. He's not normally this grouchy, so go easy on him, ok?" Omar said as I entered the living room. Floyd sighed as he got a stool from the kitchen for me to sit on, leaving my bag in the kitchen. The living room was covered with two distinct things: Dialgan imagery, and music memorabilia of what I only assumed were some rather extreme metal bands. Yup, he's definitely not married. While I thought Dialga worshippers were a bunch of self-righteous pricks, they always put truth above all else, or so they claimed at least. Maybe there was a chance Floyd was being completely honest about all this after all.

"Well, I suppose I should tell you everything I know. This will likely seem completely crazy to you. It was to me, but when Melinda mentioned The Guardian of Forever in her note, things I thought were highly unlikely suddenly became far more plausible. Not a word to anyone about this, ok? This isn't exactly the most professional course of action for me to take." Floyd said, making himself comfortable on the large sofa. He inhaled slowly and deeply through his teeth and began to tell his tale.

"Ok, it all started when The Guardian of Forever paid me a visit about thirty years ago. I just came home from church at about one in the morning and then he came in and started hugging me, saying that I was a lost friend of his. Now, this is where things got really off the wall, so bear with me. He said that the both of us stopped time itself from collapsing, which I thought was completely ridiculous, even if I found the idea to be pretty interesting. He did come up with a degree of evidence however, since he seemed to know me quite well, including the strangest ability I one time possessed for a few months when I was twenty years old – the ability to see into the past and at any point in the world. It was all completely random, but my father managed to perfect it. We swore not to tell anyone, but for some reason, The Guardian of Forever knew." Floyd said as I found it hard to believe a single word he was saying.

"...What." I said in the most extreme of monotones. I really didn't know what to expect from this guy, but even this was too out there for me to believe. "Uh, you two...do you believe him?"

"Floyd proved to us that he did at one point have that supernatural ability." The sceptile said, who was remarkably well spoken. As curious as I was as to how he learned how to speak English well, there were more pressing matters. "We kept it a secret, so there's no way anyone else aside from the three of us, Floyd's father and Dusknoir would have known."

"It gets even stranger: He even claimed he was the reincarnation of one of my friends who died almost forty years ago." Omar said, looking like he was finding it outlandish, yet couldn't find any flaws in his logic.

"As I was saying, even then, I found it really hard to believe, but throughout my life, I at least entertained that the idea was possible. However, when I heard that Melinda disappeared and saw she left a note, I had to investigate immediately, and when I saw that she said she was taken by The Guardian of Forever, everything fell into place. I then believed that everything he told me was true, and the alternate version of myself was actually one of, if not the greatest hero of all time. This version came from about a year in the future, but in the efforts to undo the eternal night, he caused a paradox so massive that it deleted that entire timeline, leaving the one we live in right now...I'm just saying what he said." Floyd said, breaking the slightest of smiles, though whether it was because of how ridiculous it sounded or because he fancied the idea of being a legendary hero, I couldn't tell. His smile soon faded as he returned to his usual scowl.

"However...to think this 'friend' of mine could do this to all these innocent humans! How could I have ever been friends with him?! That foul bastard kidnapped eighteen people, including your sister!" He said angrily at me as I pieced together his insane ramblings within my head. Was any of this true? Was it even at all possible? Did he honestly expect me to believe such a far fetched tale?

"I'll humour you for now. It said on the note that his world needed saving. Know anything about that?" I inquired as Floyd shrugged and shook his head.

"That I do not. To think I only gave the world another thirty-five years." He said, giving a hollow, sarcastic laugh. "Maybe it's all hyperbole though. From the few days I saw him, he was kind of a weirdo. A weirdo that's causing worry across the entire world...needless to say, whatever friendship this alternate me supposedly had with him, it's gone now." He said, growling slightly as he spoke of The Guardian of Forever. At least it was something we had in common. Even though there was still something inexplicable about him that I hated, maybe Floyd was a good person. Something we didn't have in common, however, was his supernatural power he once had. Was this the thing about him that made him rub the wrong way against me?

"So, you could see into the past, future and any point in the universe, huh?! Are you exactly human?!" I said as he nodded.

"Just as human as you." He replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" I retorted, raising my voice as he put up his hand to try and calm me. The sceptile glared at me, and there'd be no way I could dash to get ahold of my sister's pokemon before I'd experience the pain that Blaziken did yesterday. I started to feel even less at ease, as if I had unwittingly wandered into a den of vicious krookodiles. I wondered if the three of them were just toying with me, having secretly planned this. Was Floyd lying about having lost his powers? Did he somehow know that I'd track him down? I half expected them to gloat about how I knew too much, and thus could never leave this place.

"That Palkian pokemon soul nonsense is true too, according to The Guardian of Forever. I was a snivy in that world, supposedly." He said as I decided to quiz him more about my sister's kidnapper. I guess we needed to know what we were up against.

"Who or what exactly is The Guardian of Forever? I'll beat the shit out of him if I ever see his face! Please, just get to the point!" I yelled, the very thought of the kidnapper making my blood start to simmer with anger. Worry was starting to get the best of me by now as Floyd stood up, looking down on me in an imposing fashion. He briefly curled his bottom lip inside his mouth slowly before speaking to me.

"You should have more respect for your host, Basil, especially one who took pity on you throughout this whole event. As I stated before, it's rather unprofessional of me to let my two friends talk me into this. I guess I was foolish enough to believe you might have known something that I don't." Floyd said, clearly wanting me to leave.

"I just thought that you might feel better speaking to someone who's also been troubled by these kidnappings." Omar said, before standing up and walking towards the living room door. "I'll go get you two some water."

"Regardless, If we do see that bastard together, I might actually join you in beating him to an inch of his life." Floyd said bitterly. "As for exactly who he is, he's a-huh?!" He said, suddenly looking a little fearful as he looked down at himself as his balance seemed to sway. He held onto the sofa, as if he was trying not to collapse as his body began to heave. Sceptile rushed quickly helped support him, constantly asking him what was wrong. I wondered if he was about to throw up all of a sudden, but looking at him his body, his very frame seemed to be fading and wavering slightly, as if otherworldly forces were at force here.

"Right, what are you doing now?! Answer me!" I said loudly as Floyd collapsed to the floor, struggling slightly, as if he fell right through Sceptile's arms. I initially feared that the strange vision abilities he told me about were flaring up again, though this looked like something completely different. Sceptile leapt back in shock, looking at his friend convulsing on the floor. Omar, who just entered the room, dropped both of the glasses in shock as he yelped in an oddly high pitched tone. Yet, as soon as it had begun, Floyd returned to normal. "...What did you just do?! Or was that The Guardian?"

"I've no idea...maybe he tried to take me for spilling too much information! I didn't think he'd go for me, given he was only after top level trainers, and before you ask, I've no idea why he's after trainers!" Floyd said, grinding his teeth as he spoke. He pushed himself to his feet and stood firmly. "If you're out there, 'friend', I'll tear you limb from limb and make you live the rest of your days on permanent life support!" He declared loudly. Well, as a Dialgan, he was forbidden to kill under any circumstances, so I guess his odd threat was consistent. However, I suddenly I felt some kind of presence on me, as if seven pairs of invisible hands suddenly grabbed my entire body from behind.

"Floyd, what's happening to me?!" I yelled out in fear as Floyd and the others tried desperately to hold my arms, trying desperately to keep a hold of me. It was like I was being dragged away somewhere without actually moving, as if my soul was being ripped from its body.

"I don't know Mr Squire!" Floyd said, his serious gruffness fading away to reveal someone a bit more empathetic. "Let him go, you can't take him!" He continued, but his hands suddenly phased through my arms as I collapsed to the floor.

"Floyd, do something please!" I said, suddenly screaming for help from the one who I once was going to beat up using my sister's pokemon. I must have made a terrible mistake looking for Floyd and losing my temper with him; perhaps this was The Guardian of Forever's revenge for assaulting someone close to him. "I'm sorry, I..." My voice faded to the point of becoming almost inaudible as I started feeling weaker by the second. I came to regret ever feeling contentious towards the man as he seemed to try everything he could to keep me in this world. Yet, I could still see him in a state of dismay and helplessness as he stared at me, his mouth agape.

"Basil, I...I don't know what to do!" He said desperately as he and the others kept trying to get a hold of me, but I was almost completely transparent as my physical form started fading and waving quicker and quicker. Everything around me faded as I felt myself being dragged further and further away, even though I was in the exact same place the entire time. I couldn't hear much either aside from Floyd yelling in shock and horror.

"How could you do this?! How many more will it take?! Why, Se..." He said before my vision and hearing blacked out completely as I felt myself being ripped completely through the world as I started to fall endlessly into an abyss that I didn't recognise. I had no idea what this place was even supposed to be, or where I was, but all I could feel was gravity pulling me down, quicker and quicker as I struggled to stay awake. All my eyes could make out was a blur of colour, whizzing by so quickly that no shape or form could be distinguished. Faster and faster, spinning, whirling, still descending.

Looking at my arms, they were starting to lose their shape completely, elongating as if they were on a medieval stretch rack. Eventually, the skin on my fingers started peeling horribly as trails of blood started being pulled from them. My arms also started losing their skin as ribbons of red shot up from above me as I saw the bone on my fingers start disintegrating. Looking all over my body, or what was left of it by this point, I could see this terrible degradation spread like a hyperactive flesh-eating virus. Screaming in horror and agony I started down into the void below, as if it was an unending spiral sea, dreading to think what could be on the other side.

I felt my entire body starting to fall to pieces, being unable to withstand all of these alien forces acting upon it from all sides. My arms barely even resembled arms any more and looking at my body, I could hardly even recognize it as my own any more. Tiny fragments were starting to be torn right off from my fragile frame by the sheer force and magnitude of being sucked through this black hole, or whatever it was. I gave one final scream of terror as I saw every nerve being torn to pieces in my body as my consciousness eventually gave way as I accepted my impending death, if I wasn't dead already. If this is where Melinda was taken, she'd stand no chance, and neither would I. If The Guardian of Forever wanted us to save his world for him, making us to the legwork for him, then he done an awful job. No, I bet he just wanted us to die.

I swear, if by some incredible miracle I survive my body being shredded down to a molecular level, then I would kill him. No, I will do what he did to me, what he did to her. I will rip his body to pieces! I may be weak, but I'd figure out a plan to make sure this happens.

Yet, if this miracle happens, then Melinda may also be alive. The last thought I had before my brain started being broken down was that I needed to find her. Somehow, somewhere...I'd do it.

Regardless of what 'the other side' represents in my current situation, I'd find her there. I promise.


	4. All Hail The New Flesh

**Pokemon: Incarnation**

 **Chapter 4: All Hail The New Flesh**

* * *

Dampness, and the stench of decay. That was the first thing that my body, whether I still had one or not, could detect after it was shredded down to the most basic of particles. It must have been a smell beyond what could be experienced on Earth if it could wake me up from death itself. Perhaps this really was the afterlife, because wherever this was, it reeked of a pile of rotten, diseased carcasses. It made me want to hurl up my guts and spew them into the outside world, which made me realise that I must have still had a body. How could it have remained in tact after I saw it being disintegrated in front of my eyes? The memory of that still horrified me as I felt my entire frame shudder in response, and while I felt uncomfortable, I wasn't in any real agony. Perhaps my pain receptors just decided that the job was too much and just walked out of the job. Listening closely, I could hear what sounded like crickets around there somewhere, and it all started to seem oddly familiar.

I scrunched up my face until I could feel my eyes again and used all my strength to pry them open, but all I could see was a mass haze of different shades of dull greens and the occasional brown. I had no idea what this place was in any sense of the word, but I didn't like the feel of it so far. Clenching my hands and moving my feet, I felt feeling return to the rest of my body, which told me it was time to get up and investigate. If Melinda was here, I wouldn't find her by just lying here on this damp ground.

"Up you get Basil..." I muttered to myself as I pushed myself to my hands and knees, which proved difficult under the oppressive humidity weighing down on me. That's step one done; now onto my feet. Planting one foot on the ground, I pushed myself up and balanced carefully on both feet as my visions and senses started becoming stronger again. Balancing became natural again after my body stopped becoming so numb as I took a look around. Was this really the afterlife? One giant, putrid swamp? If Arceus existed, then he clearly hates me, as this place made me feel sick in more ways then one. The sound of insects and birds surrounded me in a haze of bad memories, and it became clear that this was some kind of tailor-made punishment for my wrongdoings in life.

"...It's Louisiana all over again..." I muttered in fear, reminding me of my brush with death when I got lost on a swamp tour with my family when I was only twelve years old. It was a miracle I was able to survive three hours in such a hostile environment back then, especially when the jaws of death almost snapped shut around me in the form of a feraligator. I owe that Cajun and his double barrelled shotgun my life that day, but I still never wanted to set foot in another swamp ever since. No matter, I'm twenty-three now, almost double the age, and twice as strong too, hopefully. I felt my skin crawl in fright, but now was no time to panic. Just got to try and find out exactly what this place is, whether it really is the afterlife or not. Maybe this is The Guardian of Forever's world? If so, then it's beyond saving, so bringing all those trainers here was a giant waste of time. Well, might as well get looking for Melinda then – not much else I can do.

"MELINDA! IT'S ME, BASIL! WHERE ARE YOU?!" I shrieked at the top of my voice, but all I heard was the sound of a nearby bird fly away, clearly frightened by my sudden shouting. He could have at least dumped me right next to her so I wouldn't feel so alone. I truly felt isolated among these giant trees, feeling like I was the only thing within miles with any real degree of sentience. I felt starved and devoid of fluids as I swallowed whatever saliva I had in my mouth. However, I'd find a way to last for the next few hours – I had to! Melinda could be somewhere in this swamp, and we needed to stay together if we were to survive, that is, if we weren't already dead.

Stepping forward, each footstep felt like I was sinking into the mire further, but I had to keep going. I had no idea what I'd find, or whether I was getting closer to or further away from my sister, but it had to be better than just standing around, waiting to get eaten by some large and hungry pokemon. Looking to my left, I saw the mangled, half-eaten corpse of a raticate, staring at me with its only remaining eye. I wanted to be sick – this _was_ sick! It looked like it was flat out torn in half in spite of being huge by raticate standards – it had to be over a meter tall!

"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." I muttered under my breath as my senses became heightened to everything around me, detecting every sound, every texture underneath my feet, every shade of murky green and brown, and every smell of the invasive algae and fungi. If I stared any harder, I could probably see ghosts here. Speaking of heightened, everything seemed to be bigger than I remembered it to be, which is odd, because it should be the other way around, given I wasn't quite as small as I was back then.

"MELINDA!" I yelled again, but I still got no response as I accidentally stepped into a boggier patch, making most of my left leg wet. Unpleasant, but nothing more than an inconvenience, and I was glad I didn't step in anything worse. I heard something move from behind me all of a sudden, causing me to turn right around on the spot, but I saw nothing. It sounded like a muffled splash from the waters just over to the left of me. In hindsight, 'nothing' was an excellent description – that half-eaten raticate had also gone missing.

"Oh no..." I said, picking up the pace, watching my footing with each step I took. Whether it was the creature that ate the large raticate, or whether the raticate become undead and was now hunting me, it was terrifying nonetheless. Maybe the feraligator is back to finish the job after it got shot twice decisively in the head by the Cajun, and this time, he wouldn't be there to save my life. My pace quickened from a quick trek to a jog, my pulse quickening as I dipped around, under and over the bushes and branches, hoping to eventually find a clearing of some kind. I just had to get out of here, the oppressive feeling of danger starting to choke my brain into tunnelling solely on flight instincts.

My jog would become a mad sprint for survival, however, when a loud roar suddenly sounded right to my left. I barely had time to peek over my shoulder to see what it is – I just had to survive! I ignored the cuts I sustained from pushing some thorny foliage bushes as that terror I endured back in Louisiana reared its ugly head once more. How could things have gone this far South in such a short space of time?!

Melinda not using my strategy seemed to matter so little now as I jumped across a boggy patch. I could hear bushes and small trees give way to the creatures might behind me, and as I looked behind me for a split second, I could see that it was a burly-looking, slavering swampert. It was massive to say the least, at least twice the size of me! How did it grow that big?! It's eyes were locked onto me, it's mouth agape widely and roared again, making me shudder as I took big, leaping strides, trying to stay on the dryer patches to keep up my speed. It looked big enough to flat out swallow me whole, and I could think of no worse way to die than to slowly suffocate and dissolve in a chamber of flesh and stench.

"Keep moving Basil, keep focused! High and dry, quick steps!" I muttered to myself, refusing to let myself fall into a blind panic. Swamperts weren't exactly fast, and I felt as though if I kept moving at this rate, I'd outpace it. That being said, the boggy ground and all the bushes and trees weren't slowing that ugly monster down at all as it just kept muscling through them as if they were paper.

A crunch sounded just behind me as I peeked behind me to see how close it was. It was about the same distance as before, but I saw a tree from above starting to crash down onto me. Running over to the left, I avoided being crushed to death, but I had been pushed towards the water, where I'd stand no chance of escape. The tree was very thick, and I don't think I could quite jump over it. I'd have to climb over it, and fast! I leapt up as high as I could, pushing myself over as I screamed in fear and pain, but it bought that swampert just enough time to be upon me!

As soon as I got over the obstacle and took another few steps, I felt its huge hand encircle around my body and clench tight. I could barely breath me as I felt crushed within its hand as it took me close to its face until we were roughly at eye level. It didn't look angry at all as it stared at me. Instead, it seemed pleased it managed to get its hands on its prey. It opened its gigantic maw as I stared into the throat of death, and it was here where I descended into blind panic, and it was clear that the Cajun wasn't here to save me this time. I closed my eyes and flailed helplessly before unleashing a scream that I didn't think I was capable of achieving. What must have been a small explosion set off around me, causing the swampert to drop me onto the marshy ground beneath his feet.

Needless to say, I started fleeing right away as the swampert's left hand looked hurt. Perhaps this would give me the chance to escape, but I had only taken about seven steps when I felt something huge and heavy slam into me from behind, knocking my fragile frame into a tree, dazing me heavily, not too unlike how I woke up within this swamp. I felt the swampert grab me again, and while I wasn't sure what saved me the last time, I somehow doubted it was going to happen again. I felt the jaws start to enclose my seemingly small body, feeling its disgusting saliva start to coat my shivering body. My frame convulsed in terror and disgust, but after a mere two seconds from being trapped within its mouth, it suddenly spat me out, leaving me a dizzy, soaking, putrid mess on the earth.

Gazing up at the swampert, I could see that something was fighting it. It was also blue, and pretty agile and quick too as it kept landing blow after blow on the swampert, punching it hard at every angle. Even though it seemed to be quite a bit smaller than my predator, though still a fair bit larger than me. It was hard to tell exactly what it was that was fighting the swampert, but I was hardly complaining! It suddenly went right for its eyes as the beast suddenly roared in terror and tried to escape, but my saviour decided to let it go, figuring it done enough.

"Goodness gracious little one, what are you doing out here all by yourself?! You could have gotten killed! In fact, you would have if you weren't for me!" It spoke in a thick Southern accent. Maybe I really was back in Louisiana, but as scary as it was, I was at least on planet Earth. My vision started returning to me as I allowed him to help me up. Looking up, I could see that it wasn't a human, but a pokemon instead. A toxicroak, to be precise, and while I wasn't in the mood to meet another big mouthed pokemon, it seemed friendly enough. "Y'know, if I was here five seconds later, you could have turned up a few daisies!"

"Thanks...Toxicroak..." I said, feeling as though the situation turned from hostile to bizarre. Pokemon learning English wasn't unheard of, albeit very rare. "Say, do you have a human friend? Can I talk to him?" I asked before he gave me a curious look, and then chuckled as if I said something cute and dumb like a child asking whether there was a monster under the bed.

"Human friends huh? Well, wouldn't that be something. Looks like you got a bit of a nasty knock to you the head. I reckon you should come with me so I can make sure you're ok. I'll take you to my swamp shack. Don't worry, I know these parts well, I'll keep ya safe." He said, gesturing me to follow him closely. I paused for a moment as his body slumped slightly in disappointment. "Hey, don't make me carry you there!"

"No, no, I'm coming...it's just...uh, where am I?" I asked, assuming I wasn't dead and wandering around an awful post-death existence. Following him through the swamp, I felt a lot safer under his protection.

"In the bayou of course. The real question is why you were there. Seriously, you don't know how lucky you are to be alive. Straying from the path is almost suicide if you're not prepared!" The toxicroak said, as I started quizzing him further.

"The bayou? Well, I assume I'm somewhere in Louisiana then, right?" I asked as he gave me a puzzled look.

"Louisiana? Who's that? Is she hot?" He said, grinning and chuckling. "Ok, maybe I'm a bit too old to chase girls like that."

"Ok, I'll try again...know where I can get a bus ride to New Orleans? I could get a plane home and-" I said before I was cut off.

"Now you're just talkin' plain crazy. Are all you Convictioners like that? You sure sound like you're from there with a voice like that." He asked as it was my turn to give him an odd look.

"Convictioners? What's that?"

"From Conviction. Continent South-East from here...none of this making any sense to you?" He asked as I shrugged. "Ok little man; tell me where you're from."

"York, England." I said casually as the ball of confused looks was now in his court again.

"Never heard of that...wait a second...now, this is an incredibly long shot, but by any fraction of a chance...are you one of 'them?'" He asked, his voice suddenly growing very quiet.

"'One of them?' What do you mean?" I asked before he crouched down and put his large mouth right next to his hear.

"...A human." He said as I took a step away from him.

"...Well, no shit I'm a human! What did you think I was?" I said, giving an awkward laugh as I had to stop myself from accidentally stepping through some sharp looking tall grass.

"Shh! Keep it down!" He said, grabbing me by the face suddenly. "Look, if you're one of them, you cannot under any circumstances let anyone know! It was probably a mistake admitting that to me, just make sure you don't do it again!"

"Why not?" I asked with a muffled voice, his hands still clasped around my head. "And how is it not already obvious that I'm human. I hardly look like you."

"...Ok, if you've just arrived here, then I reckon you're in for a bit of a shock. Though seriously, I'm amazed it took you this long to figure out. I don't have a mirror, but you can look down at the rest of your body." He said as I slowly looked down. Well, between the terror and mystifying scales, this weighed it heavily towards the 'what the fuck' zone.

I was mostly covered in blue fur over my body, save for my feet and hands...paws? They were white. Looking behind me, I found out why my arse felt kind of strange, as I saw two large bushy tails with the same colour scheme – blue, with white tips. Reaching up, I felt my folded ears, but I didn't dare open them, as I knew that a terrible accident could happen if I tried to pry them open. I hardly wanted to accidentally give my saviour a psionic blast by accident!

"Meowstic rhythms...capture my thoughts, and carry them away...er...how am I supposed to respond to this?! Nothing so far makes sense! I...how could I prepare for something like this! It's all so...alien!" I said, speaking in a much higher pitched voice than usual before calming down. "Right...I'll explain everything. My sister was likely taken here by The Guardian of Forever, and it seems like I have too, and it seems like our bodies were shredded to atomic levels and we got new ones."

"That's not unheard of per se, and trust me – you'll be glad for having a body like that, even if you hate it." He said as I shrugged.

"It's too strange to say. I'm pretty sure I prefer my old body, but on the other hand, this is the experience of a lifetime! Who else gets to experience something like this? Well, aside from the other eighteen people taken here." I said, trying to make sense of all of this. All things considered, being in this body wasn't really a plus or a minus; it was just a gigantic question mark.

"You'll prefer that body with the Pale Communion acting up. They are the reason that you want to keep your identity secret. If they find out who you are, you're as good as dead. If they know who you really are, they will find you, and then they will kill you without asking a single question." He said, suddenly becoming very serious. "If you looked human, they'd know instantly. Your secret's safe with me, but I'd keep your tongue tied about where you came from."

"So, they're just a bunch of extreme xenophobes then?" I asked, before I realised I forgot to ask the most obvious question of all. "Oh, I never got your name."

"It's Nisbeth. Yeah, it's a foreign name; my ancestors came from Mistet Ørkenen, and from what I heard about the place recently, they made the right choice moving to State Broussard. As for the Pale Communion, they seem to believe that humans are a threat to them and the world and are trying to kill them all. Do you get people that crazy back where you live?" Nisbeth responded as I nodded.

"Have you seen my sister, Melinda? Oh, name's Basil by the way." I said as I saw a couple of pokemon walking ahead in the mire. Now, while Nisbeth here seemed to be flat out civilized, that swampert was completely feral, but what about the pair infront of us?

"I'll get back to you on that." He said as the two pokemon waved at him – a couple of floatzels, and they looked friendly enough.

"Hey Nisbeth, we're just doing a bit of swamp fishing here. Don't worry, it's away from your house." One of them said, also in a Deep South accent.

"Fine by me." Nisbeth said and we were about to walk by them before the other one called out to us.

"Seen any humans?" The other one said as Nisbeth gave him his signature puzzled look. My mouth suddenly went dry upon hearing this. Were they part of the Pale Communion? Seems like I might not be out of the woods just yet!

"No, why are you looking for them?" Nisbeth asked before they started looking a little shifty.

"Just wanted to speak to one. I've heard quite a few have appeared all over the world over the past couple of months. Crazy, huh? Aliens visiting our planet." The first one said as Nisbeth shrugged.

"Doesn't interest me too much. I got my home and stuff, and that's all I need and care about in life." He replied as the pair of them scorned them slightly.

"No drive, no ambition...seriously, you should try living outside your shack once in a while, go into town, meet some people. Still, looks like you made a friend there, so you've made a start." He said, while I stayed very silent.

"Ah, go chase your humans or whatever. See ya." Nisbeth said, sounding a bit disgruntled as he walked off with me in tow. Shortly afterwards, I saw a fairly large wooden shack that looks like it was just about to fall apart. The wood was unpainted and looked like rot was setting in at a few places, making me wonder if it was safe, let alone comfortable. A tiny jetty with some basic fishing equipment stood just behind his 'house,' which looked cruedly supported with wooden poles with some tape on them. The roof was the king of makeshift repairs however, applying the whole 'duct tape fixes everything' phrase seriously. I could barely even see the wood there!

"You live here?" I asked, trying to remain polite, even though I was sincerely hoping the answer would be 'no.'

"Yup, come on in if you want." He said, opening the crooked door for me. Admittedly, it didn't look as bad as it looked from the outside, even if it did smell of fish. Too me, that wasn't even bad, since I was notorious for eating fish almost every day, so I didn't mind. Whatever he did to the place, it was at least dry on the inside. A few pots and pans hung from the wall above a stove that looked like it was from almost two hundred years ago, and beside it was a very primitive looking sink alongside a strange device that I didn't recognize. Hopefully, it was a water purifier of some kind. A solitary bed was in the other corner of the single-roomed shack, which looked worn out, yet still functional. On the one hand, I would be extremely uncomfortable living in such conditions, but on the other hand, did the pokemon here build this?! Incredible!

"Looks like you really don't know how to react, huh. I heard humans were super smart according to legend, so I'm guessing this all looks real old to you." He said, not looking offended as he lied down on his bed.

"Admittedly, yeah, but it's still incredible! I assume humans didn't build this then." I said, looking all around the small shack.

"Nope, I built it with the help of a gudurr. Couldn't stand living in town, but I go there every so often to get stuff I might need. It's not an antisocial thing, I just couldn't be bothered, y'know? Life's just better living out here with your own space to do your own thing." He said, relaxing on the bed.

"I guess so. Anyway, thanks for saving my life. Can't believe I didn't thank you earlier." I said as he smiled slightly.

"Think nothing of it. Actually, it was kind of thrilling really diggin' into that swampert. I wonder if it survived? Eh, it's not that important." He said as I nodded in agreement.

"By the way, you haven't heard of anyone called Melinda, have you?" I asked as he shook his head.

"Ah yeah, you said that was your sister. Nope, sorry, but if she comes by here, I'll let you know." He said, barely moving where he lied. What to do now? At least I had a chance to think about it, so I could now make some ideas and plans. From what I could tell, this was some kind of alien planet with many continents, so, needless to say, it was a needle in a haystack situation when it came to finding Melinda. Was she in Broussard, or elsewhere? Would it even be safe to go around asking for Melinda with a cult wanting me dead if they ever figured out who I was? How could I even start? Regardless, I wasn't getting anywhere without food as I realised how weak I felt.

"You're, uh, hungry, aren't ya." Nisbeth said, lazily looking around. "I suppose I should make you something real quick." He said, crawling out of bed and stumbling towards the stove and started briefly preparing the laziest fish stew ever. Still smelled good to me, and when he gave me some, I was more than happy to eat it up quickly.

"Thanks again, I owe you." I said while chewing the last of the stew in my mouth. "Say, got a mirror? I want a proper look of myself."

"Next thing you'll be needing water, fed, sheltered, protection...don't worry, papa Nisbeth is on the case." He replied, starting to sound a bit irritated, yet seemed sincere about his offer.

"Look, I'm real sorry about this, but I don't know the first thing about being a meowstic, or about surviving in a swamp, let alone living here. I hate asking for help, but I really don't have much of a choice here." I said sheepishly as he told me he didn't have a mirror, and that he didn't need one. Well, toxicroaks weren't exactly cute, so I couldn't blame him. On the other hand, my human self might want to give my pokemon self a quick hug right now, and I chuckled slightly at the thought.

"Well, leaving you alone out here is pretty much a death sentence for you, so...hrm...I reckon I could let you stay a short while until you figure out your own arrangements. However, I'm not going to let you stay for free, so you'll be doing stuff for me while you're here. You know how to fish?" He asked as I nodded slowly.

"I'm better than I care to be. My family took me a lot, and though I never enjoyed it, I became compotent through sheer repetition. Still, your equipment looks different to the stuff I used." I said, gazing out at the small jetty just outside of his shack.

"Hem, I'll quickly show you how my fishing equipment works." He said as he lead me out onto the jetty after having a glass of purified water. Admittedly, I wasn't the most practical person, but I could learn quick if I was really paying attention, and pay attention I did since the only thing worse than being stranded in a foreign world in a foreign body is being stranded in a foreign world in a foreign body while also being homeless, and I was wanting to get on the good side of Nisbeth. I wanted to know as much as possible about where I ended up, but I didn't want to ramble on too much, since it seemed like Nisbeth liked his own space.

Learning to fish with his primitive equipment proved to be an uphill struggle, but it was a struggle I'd have to endure and get on with. Using equipment designed for people twice my size was very tricky, but I was already finding ways to compensate, such as jamming a pole between the wooden planks to steady it, since I wasn't strong enough to hold it properly in my small body.

"Know anything about The Guardian of Forever?" I asked after a few minutes had passed, thinking that since he had a break from my constent questioning, he wouldn't be irritated.

"I think he's some kind of hero from thirty five years ago, and was the ally of The Sound of Perseverence. A lot of it's just folklore though, so I wouldn't bother much with it." He said, checking that his fishing net was in working order.

"He summoned my sister here along with eighteen others, including myself." I said as he raised an eyebrow at this.

"Huh...sounds like a real hero." He said, but he looked like he just wanted to say something and didn't really know what to respond with.

"In other words, he placed me in mortal danger against my will. He's clearly no hero, and finding him will be my next port of call after finding Melinda, and when I find him..." I said, making a guesture that implied I was going to kill him for what he done.

"That's pretty short-sighted Basil. How else would you get back home?" He asked as I was about to object, but after a brief thought, I realised he was right.

"You're right I guess. I just want to know where she is and know that she's safe. I wonder if she's also a meowstic?" I said, noticing something snagged my line and I used all my strength to reel it up. It was a pretty small fish, but Nisbeth seemed satisfied.

"Good start. I'll take you into town in a couple of hours so you can have a look around and help me sell leftover fish. Who knows, you might find your sister there." He said kindly as he cast his net out over the water.

"Wait...oh, shit." He said just after bringing in a few fish and putting them inside a deep bucket.

"Are they inediable?" I asked, looking at them flopping around helplessly.

"No, it's not that. See, they'll think you're an immagrent, and there's a few tests they like to do before you start doing your own thing. It's like a school exam, and even the natives are expected to pass it by the time they reach seventeen years of age. I don't remember it well, it was almost twenty-years ago for me, but I remembered it covered stuff like math, geography, English, history and combat." He said as I ran through the subjects over in my head. I was pretty good at academics in general, especially maths, but then there was the elephant in the room – combat.

"Combat, huh...are you saying I'm going to have to prove I can fight?! You saw me earlier; you know it won't end well for me." I said, sounding a little desperate. "I'll get my arse plastered all over the walls if the locals have been taught to fight as children! I'll never pass that, even if I did have the balls to actually try! I know my own country's history well, but I barely even know where I am right now!"

"Hrm, I was just naturally good at fighting, so...uh...I don't really know how I do it. I just, well, I just do it. Math was horrible for me, took me three tries to pass back in the day. One last issue – how will we introduce you? Obviously, if you tell the truth, the public's gonna go bonkers and you'll probably only survive a week at the most. You should say you're from Conviction, since you sound like you're from there by your voice. I reckon you should also lie about your age, to make it seem more like you're at a school leaving age. You can pass for being eighteen I'd say, so it won't look too strange if you're really deficient in some subjects, but if you truly know nothing about fighting...well, I hope you can take some classes on that." Nisbeth said, casting the net out again.

"I could say my family didn't have any history of fighting, and I think I can study history in a library quickly. You do have those, right?" I asked as he turned to look at me with a look that suggested he wasn't pleased.

"Of course we do Basil. Eh, it's not your fault I guess. You've not seen anything outside of the bayou in this world after all." He said, and he started looking concerned. "Yeah, make sure everyone thinks you're eighteen, or at least younger than twenty-one. See, I don't think any of the people on other continents do this, but we have this...thing. Remember that school exam I told you about? Passing that is considered the transition from being a kid to being an adult, so if you haven't passed it, you don't get to enjoy the rights that adults do. Because you're above twenty-one and are from another continent, they'll expect you to pass right away or...well, they might outcast you as a 'failed adult.' The combination of being a foreigner and a failed adult is a recipe for disaster here."

"...Melinda's twenty-seven! She'll never pass as someone who's under twenty-one!" I said, starting to panic. "Nononono, this is all horrible! What if she fails?! Will she be casted out to sea without a paddle?!"

"Calm yourself Basil, it's not that hard to pass, and you get two tries, even if you're above twenty-one. You get as many as you like if you're under the age limit, and it doesn't cost much to sign up." Nisbeth said, but I couldn't remain calm.

"Fine for me I guess, but Melinda's in danger whether she landed in a dangerous, horrible swamp or in a town! I've got to find her fast!" I said before Nisbeth grabbed me by the shoulders.

"Look, I'll take you into town in ten minutes. Besides, if you can't fight at all, there's no way you'd get beyond Serenity, let alone make it all the way to Newer Orleans." He said, sounding very serious, but...really?

"...Newer Orleans? _Newer_ Orleans?!" I said when I started laughing, practically begging Nisbeth to give me his signature confused look. "Sorry, back where I come from, there's an Orleans and a New Orleans. 'Serenity' isn't much better though, I bet the guy who founded the continent named it after himself! ...Sorry, I needed a laugh there. Anyway, can you teach me to fight so I might at least have a ghost of a chance?"

"No can do, we're very different species. There's kind of a road to Serenity from here, so once you know the path, you might be able to go to and from there by yourself. A thirty minute walk, and the savages here tend to stay off the path." Nisbeth said, pulling in the net to get another load of fish just before I reeled in another one of my own. "That's a big one there Basil, I'll get paid quite a bit for that. Anyway, you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I'm ready to go to this obviously serene town or village." I said, wondering how I could find Melinda. Should I just parade around town saying 'I'm Basil, where's Melinda?' Could be risky. I ran over my fake backstory in my head to ensure I was getting all the details correct. Eighteen years old, from Conviction. Hrm, that might not be enough if people really start probing. What if people ask about my parents, or my life back on my supposed homeland? I might have to dash to the library and stick my nose in a few books to come up with a convincing story for my life up until now. For now, I'd just have to blend in for now, since one wrong move and I could blow my cover to the wrong people. I just hope that Nisbeth would remain trustworthy throughout my time in this world.

Regardless, this entire experience here was beyond many people's craziest dreams, and I was living in it. How many people can say they've been a pokemon before? Still, even though I knew that meowstics had some of the biggest potential with psionic abilities within short bursts among all species of pokemon, they were still small and very vunerable to being ripped to shreads, metaphorically and literally, if an enemy got within touching distance. I just hoped Melinda was turned into something a bit tougher than I was.

"Mind me hanging around with you in this isolated part of the swamp?" I asked Nisbeth, helping him pack up his supplies and goods to go to Serenity.

"I always liked my own space, but...I'd say you're an interesting guy. Besides, maybe I need this change in my life. I guess nothing would change if I just rotted away in that shack. Maybe it gives me a reason to have a bit more excitement in my life. Feel the same way yourself?" He asked as I thought about it briefly.

"If I knew Melinda and I were safe, then maybe. I guess some shit just happens in your life, and all you can do is play the losing the hand the best you can, though I'd be lying if it didn't scare the living daylights out of me." I said as Nisbeth smiled slightly.

"If it means anything, saving your life was probably the most fun I've had in weeks, and I'd be more than happy to do it again. Stay with Nisbeth, and he'll keep ya safe." He replied, making me feel safer as long as I was with him. Still, I didn't want to get too close to the guy, just in case he ended up being a father figure for me, but on the other hand, I might need that sort of person in my life until I learn to adapt to this alien world. As far as my body was concerned, as much as I hated the idea, I would have to learn how to view the mysterious psionic plain and access its secrets to unlock the abilities I have in order to protect myself, but that was far easier said than done.

Where could I start? Regardless, I could hopefully get some answers in Serenity. I'd unlock the secrets of myself, I'd discover the location of Melinda, and I'd find out just what The Guardian of Forever has in store for us. Could I get what I wanted before the Pale Communion could murder me in cold blood? Well, I was able to extract a lot of information from a high ranking policeman, so I couldn't be too bad at getting people to do what I want. I'd do it, just as long as I had enough time on my side. I'd plan out my victory, just like I planned out Melinda's. Giving Nisbeth an assuring nod, we left the shack and quickly joined the path to Serenity, as I found myself already getting used to the physical shape and form of my new and admittedly rather cute body.

A plan was easy to write down or remember for me. Actually going through with it with so many wild and unpredictable variables that this situation forced on me, however, as I would soon find out, was going to be another kettle of fish entirely.


	5. The Analogue Kid

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 5: The Analogue Kid

I started feeling more at ease as we left the grungy swamp behind us as I welcomed the fresh air and sunshine upon my skin. Well, my fur anyway. How Nisbeth spent all those years living in such an awful and dangerous place without going mad, I will never know. All of a sudden, the world I was dragged to didn't seem so bad as I had a good look around at the brand new scenery. Lush trees and green fields of grass and crops blanketed the land before me as the swamp came to a rather dramatic stop. Seems like they were advanced enough to farm, so it wouldn't be too bad or backwards if I ended up staying here for a while. The crops themselves looked a little strange, and I couldn't quite identify what they were growing, but for an alien world, it didn't seem all that strange, aside from the whole civilized pokemon thing.

"Someone looks relieved." Nisbeth said, looking at me and pointing to the top of the small hill before us. "You can see Serenity from the top of there. Only ten minutes until we get there, so let's keep moving."

"I'm hardly cut out for those conditions back there, unlike you. See when we get there, mind telling me where the library is? I want to try and cram as much of the history knowledge in as soon as possible." I asked, looking around. Barely a cloud in the sky! If it was just a touch cooler here, it'd be perfect! What a far cry from that horrendous bayou! Looks like I'd be wanting to spend as much time in Serenity as possible during my stay here.

"Sure thing, it's just behind the town hall. I'll point it out while we're there, though you'll be barred from most of it." He said as I frowned at him slightly.

"And why would that be?" I asked, trying not to sound too annoyed, since it wasn't his fault.

"Adults only. Remember, even if you were as old as me, you aren't regarded as an adult until you pass your adulthood exam. 'Children' get almost no rights here, and I'm not even sure if you can enter the kid's section without supervision." Nisbeth said as I gave him a dejected look.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me! And I have to prove myself a competent fighter!? I've never physically hurt anyone in my life before! Do kids here get taught how to fight right from when they're five years old or something? I'll never be able to keep pace with that!" I said, starting to sweat in anxiety, the sun beaming down on me.

"Yes they do, and they'll give you funny looks for evolving way before you should have in regards to fighting ability." He said as I hung my head in dismay.

"They're like a bunch of klingons..." I said, coming to terms with just how out of my depth I was here. "I suppose they won't give free fighting lessons for foreigners who are absolute beginners, right?" I asked as Nisbeth shook his head. I could think of absolutely nothing! I was out of options!

"Look, if stuff goes down the drain, you can always just stay at my shack providing you keep helping me fish. They're hardly going to start investigating there, it's not worth their effort." Nisbeth said, but that wasn't good enough.

"I'll never find Melinda that way though! Maybe...maybe I'll just have to find a way. Maybe I can find out a few things in the kid's section, as degrading as that would seem." I said as we reached the top of the small hill. Before us was the small town of Serenity, nestled within a little valley, and from the looks of things, it was serene by both name and nature. Seemed to be a quaint place, and it seems like it was something out of the Victorian age, albeit fairly American looking, almost as if I was going back in time. It didn't seem to be too rustic however, and it still had a degree of homeliness to it. The buildings looked odd, as if they were an imitation of buildings done from that sort of time period, yet it looked obvious, even from up here, that they used different and more modern techniques.

"What do you think?" Nisbeth asked.

"Old, but fine. I'm just more concerned about how they'll treat me." I replied as we walked into town, hoping that the locals wouldn't start bombarding me with questions because I was a stranger to them. Staying close to Nisbeth, we walked quickly into the square as Nisbeth walked up to the young town crier, a loudred, showing him some kind of card.

"Your stall's over there, booked for three hours. Anyway, who's this little guy?" He asked, pointing to me.

"I'm, err..." I said, stalling. I was already choking! Calm yourself Basil, just recite your back story!

"My adoptive son." Nisbeth said suddenly as I suddenly glared at him. Nisbeth held a finger up to my mouth to keep me quiet, as I grudgingly implied. "He lost his parents on a trip over here, and I couldn't just leave him at the mercy of the bayou."

"And you're keeping him in that lowly shack of yours?" The crier said, shaking his head.

"As opposed to a swampert's belly? Just as I thought..." Nisbeth said, grumbling as he took me over to the stall. "Just covering for you there, you can thank me later. Library is just over there, you can't miss it. Just be sure to be back here before my three hours are up, ok? Pretty sure you'll be fine without supervision." He said quietly as he started putting the dead fish upon the wooden stall one by one.

"It was a little embarrassing, but whatever. Well, wish me luck Nisbeth." I said, staring at the library that was just peeking out from behind the town hall. It was a pretty busy street, but I couldn't get cold feet now as I walked to the library doors, pushing the heavy things open with both of my arms. In side, I could see the adults and kids section clearly being labelled, with one of the librarians, a clefable, checking the identification of a charmeleon and allowing him in. Not having any form of ID on me, I guess I'd just have to make to with the kids section. I groaned as I strolled inside, gazing at all the colourful books which were clearly designed for people at least ten years younger than me. This was completely degrading, but I had to stay focused and not make too much of a fuss, as this was a minor inconvenience compared to Melinda and The Pale Communion.

"Let's see...kid's fiction, kid's fiction...non-fiction..here we go..." I muttered to myself as I found a history book as I stuck my face into it. It may have been designed for readers far younger than me, but I was still rather engrossed anyway. It seems like their civilization on this continent, known as State Broussard, was about a hundred and eighty years old, founded by a family of humans. The Broussards helped found towns and uplifted the natives from their savage state for several months before mysteriously vanishing all those years ago. Piecing things together, they must have been from Louisiana and were terrible at naming things, but upon reading how the parents supposedly let their kids name these places, it made a degree of sense. Though, seriously, naming a continent after your own name?! How egotistical! I kept reading into the history of Newer Orleans, by far the continent's biggest town and how it recently became a hub for entertainment, such as theatre shows. It looked a little more up to date than Serenity from the artwork. If Melinda's not here, then mayb-

"Heya! How'd you do?" A voice suddenly said from behind me. I was so surprised that I yelped and dropped the book on the ground as I spun around in shock.

"Fuck, how long have you been there for?!" I said, breathing deeply as I found myself looking up at a heliolisk.

"Name's Murphy, what's yours? Not seen you around here before, where are you from? Do you like it here? Enjoying the library? I don't personally, but I kind of need to be here right now. Weather's nice, so we should be outside, wouldn't you say so?" He said, rambling on and on for a moment before I was able to calm him down.

"Woah, one thing at a time!" I said, gesturing him to stop being so excitable with my arms. Damn, this heliolisk made my sister look introverted!

"Sorry, guess I got a bit excited. I tend to do that when seeing a stranger around here, since Serenity doesn't get many visitors and stuff. Anyway, who are you?" Murphy asked, still intent on squeezing answers from me.

"Basil." I said simply before picking up the book again.

"Cool, where're you from?" He replied quickly, still looking pretty excitable. I had no idea if he was about my age or a heliolisk who evolved way too early for his own good, and his energetic presence was already wearing me out a bit.

"Er, Conviction." I responded before looking back into the book, but Murphy slowly lowered his head until it was about level with mine.

"Wow, really? Tell me all about it, I've never been there before!" He said as I suddenly froze. I had no idea what it was like there at all! I could make up a bunch of stuff, but he'd surely not be completely in the dark about that place! If I said something really out of place, it'd seem suspicious! How could I weasel my way out of being interrogated by this enthusiastic heliolisk?

"...I don't want to talk about it. Listen, some bad things happened to me recently, and-" I said before I was cut off.

"-And you'll feel better if you talk about them! It helps me anyway." He said as I was quickly finding him overbearing.

"Not for me. Anyway, I've got to study hard for the adulthood exam, and since you said you 'had' to be here, I assume you are too. I think we should spend less time talking and more time studying, and besides, you're probably causing quite a lot of noise. Libraries are supposed to be quiet places you know." I said, wondering if that was the case here. I did notice a couple of the pokemon here, who looked younger than us, giving Murphy a couple of unpleasant looks.

"You don't learn well indoors, you learn well by getting out there in the world and _doing_ things!" Murphy said as I started to frown at him.

"Not me. Trust me, I know how I learn." I said, gazing back into the history book, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Murphy's smile fade slightly.

"Then if you're so sure, then how come you haven's passed the adulthood exam yet?" He asked as I rolled my eyes.

"Because I just got here a couple of days ago. Look, I feel real confident in some areas, but I'm guessing the history part will be geared towards this continent, so my knowledge of Conviction's history is kind of useless. I should be fine for everything else." I said, starting to get a bit frustrated with his intrusiveness.

"How old are you anyway? I'm sure there's not a desperate rush to become an adult for you, right?" He asked, looking at me closely.

"I'm eighteen." I said, not making eye contact with him as my eyes remained glued to the words of the book. How interesting; the Broussards managed to get rival species to co-operate under their new way of life! Sure they can't name things to save their life, but they were clearly gifted diplomats!

"Ooh, only a year older than me! Still, you've got about three years until you absolutely need to pass, so you've got plenty of time. Anyway, I'm bored – let me show you around town!" He said, grabbing me by the arm.

"Right, that's it! I'm going to ask you once – go away." I said, glaring at him firmly as his enthusiastic smile faded.

"Oh...just like the others then...was secretly hoping that people from Conviction would be a bit different than the others." He said, letting go of me, looking rather sad all of a sudden.

"What do you mean 'like the others'?" I asked before one of the pokemon reading not too far away from us spoke up.

"Never mind him, he's always so...forward." She said, and peering over, I could see it was an espurr. Perhaps it would be possible to get some fighting advice from her at some point.

"Just trying to be friendly..." Murphy said, sighing and looking bummed out. Still, perhaps he could help me, and if he was just wanting some company, then I suppose I could offer him some. Sure, he's too in-my-face for my liking, but it was a tolerable flaw. I guess learning things about Serenity would be useful, and if we walk around town, then perhaps, if I'm extremely lucky, I could find Melinda.

"Murphy, care to show me around town?" I asked, returning the smile to his face. "Just don't grab my arm, please."

"Sounds like fun, follow me!" He said, walking at a swift and energetic pace, as I found I had to jog to keep up with him. Heliolisks could be alarmingly quick, and Murphy seemed to be no exception as I found I was getting quite a lot of exercise. Jogging back onto the square, I ran past Nisbeth who just sold a small batch of fish to a customer, looking happy as a result.

"Now if I know the people here well, I'd say Murphy offered to take you around town. He's a pile of work, but I guess means well." He told me as I took a quick breather next to his stall. "I just hope he takes you to the water fountain!"

"Well, I suppose I'll need to be fit in order to stand a chance of passing the battle part of the exam." I said while chuckling at him before catching up to Murphy.

"You know Nisbeth? He was a bit odd to me." He said as I stared at him blankly.

"This coming from you, buddy. I live with him." I replied as he looked rather shocked.

"Does he really live in a swamp? Eww!" He said before leading me through busy street after busy street, barely giving me a chance to see anything.

"Given the circumstances, I'll take what I'm given!" I retorted, breathing deeply to try and keep the energy flowing round within my body. "Care to slow down a bit? My kind isn't nearly as fast as yours."

"Oh, sorry Basil. Could have just asked." He said, laughing slightly as I was able to slow down to a brisk walk. A couple of moments later, I saw a strange looking statue on a street corner. Walking up to it, I saw that it depicted a snivy, though he seemed to be slightly elongated in proportion and had a thin leaf coming out of his head that fell behind his head. It stood proudly, with one foot firmly rested on a rock. Its head looking into the sky at a shallow angle and its arms were firmly locked by its body's side.

"Huh, who's this then?" I asked as Murphy ran over to me.

"Wait...you're from Conviction and you've _never_ heard of him?! Have you been living under a rock or something?!" He said in disbelief, though it didn't seem like he intended to be rude.

"I had an...I had an isolated upbringing." I replied, hoping it would be convincing enough.

"Fair enough. Anyway, that's The Sound of Perseverance. Supposedly, he was a human who came under the disguise of a snivy to stop time from collapsing thirty-five years ago, but died right after doing so." He said, as I began running a couple of ideas through my head.

"Do you believe it happened?" I asked as he shook his head.

"Sounds like an exaggerated fairy tale to me, but people here are pretty split on it. See the building that's right behind the statue? It hosts some pretty freaky stuff sometimes. The people that go there worship him and other humans as higher forms of life, but it all seems so silly to me...wait, you're not one of those guys, are you?" He asked as I stared at the temple and the statue. That policeman...he described that The Guardian of Forever telling him that he helped secure the world's salvation by preventing time's collapse in another timeline. Was this the other Floyd he was talking about?

"Murphy, does that snivy have a name, or is he just known by that elaborate title?" I asked as he shrugged, clearly not interested in learning about humans.

"No idea. Anyway, there's more to show you!" He said, but I wanted to know right away. Seeing a gogoat taking care of the grass just outside of the temple, I decided to ask him.

"So, I know he's known at The Sound of Perseverance or whatever, but he has an actual name, right?" I asked as he thought about it for a moment.

"Er...Flynn I think." He said before continuing to trim the grass down to size.

"Wait, I think I remember someone from back on my homeland mention it at one point now that I think of it...it's Floyd, isn't it." I said as the gogoat nodded.

"Ah yeah, that's the one." He said, and all of a sudden, the distance between the two worlds didn't feel quite so big anymore.

"Basil? You one of those human worshippers?" He asked as I smiled to myself for a few seconds. To think that some of the people here regard my kind as being gods...I wasn't much of an ego-driven person, but even I found it hard to not give a goofy smile at the thought of it.

"Nah, just curious. I mean, knowing about all aspects of Broussard's culture will help me with my exam, right?" I said as I continued to follow Murphy around town. I sure wish he'd keep to the shade under the balconies at the side of the road, but his species had the unusual behaviour of avoiding overcast conditions at all cost, and it seems this civilized one was no different.

I stopped suddenly when I noticed two public maps on display at a junction where two rhydons were talking to each other. Perhaps this will help me get my bearings on where I am. Approaching the local one, I saw a map of all of Broussard and I was soon able to pinpoint where Serenity was, which was nestled by swamps on one side and hills on the other. In a way, the town itself was a bit of a miracle to exist here. Rivers and lakes littered this continent as I found Newer Orleans on the east coast. If Melinda wasn't here, that would be my next port of all, and judging by the measurements, it'd be a four day walk. I just hoped there was some transport of some kind to cut down on time and energy. I saw a few more towns littered around the island that I could take a look at if she wasn't at Serenity or Newer Orleans.

"Hope I don't have to go too far..." I muttered under my breath as I looked at the map of the world. It was hard to tell, but judging by the measurements, this world was quite a lot smaller than Earth, which I suppose made things a little 'easier' when it came to finding my sister. I found Conviction towards the South-East, and if I were to truly sell myself as being from there, it might be in my best interests to discover a bit about the place. Looking to the north-east, the cold-looking continent of, ironically, New Australia was seen. Seems like people all over the world came here at certain points, since there other two continents had names I found difficult to pronounce, and I wondered how they wound up on this planet, or whether they had pokemon bodies or not. The artwork in the history book suggested that the Broussard family didn't. Gazing back at New Australia, I had to stop myself from descending into hysterics at some of the town names. They weren't juvenile, but I soon realised that I probably would have gotten on well with its founder.

"Cygnus, Syrinx and Xanadu...you can't make this shit up!" I squeaked to myself, as it became obvious that whoever founded civilization there was a huge Rush fan. Why wasn't I dropped off in New Australia?! The Guardian of Forever could have at least had the courtesy of doing that!

"Find something funny Basil?" Murphy said, approaching me form behind as I shook my head.

"Nah, just got reminded of something hilarious. You'd need to see it in context to get it though." I replied as I allowed myself to be lead through more streets; some quiet, some busy. He stopped suddenly before turning ninety degrees to the right and pointed.

"That's my home right there, you should come sometime." He said, as I saw a figure move around inside.

"Live with your parents?" I asked as he nodded.

"Kind of. My dad, he, er...well, I ended up getting a new dad to stay with my mom." He said, clearly trying to dodge the subject. From the shape of the shadow, I could tell it wasn't a heliolisk, so it couldn't have been his biological father.

"Wait...I should be studying right now! Quickly before we get seen!" He said, suddenly dashing off, this time sprinting for real, leaving me in the dust. I was starting to get out of breath by this point, the sun beaming hard down on me and extracting all the sweat from my body that it could of. I was gagging for some water by the time I caught up with Murphy, who was waiting for me while sitting on a rock.

"I went to school there. Well, I still do, but it's the weekend right now, so I can just have some fun! Will you be going there tomorrow? Y'know, since you're not an adult." He said as I rolled my eyes. It was pretty insulting to be treated like a child at this age, even if I was as vulnerable as one here.

"I dunno; I'll need to see what's happening first, and I'm not rushing into anything right now." I said, looking at the school grounds, and I could clearly see it was made for children. I think I'd like to keep to my own studies until I earned the key to the continent for now.

"Don't worry, I'll look out for you while you're there." He said as I was starting to get curious as to why he was being this forward and friendly with a complete stranger. Still, people this extroverted are hardly unheard of, so I wasn't overly surprised or anything like that.

"Thanks...?" I said, not entirely sure how to respond. Glancing at a nearby sundial, I saw I had just over an hour left. What I could use right now is a nice cold beer to cool my body and mind, but, of course, they'd never serve me. Besides, I had no money at all! Could they offer jobs to 'children', or would I have to beg Nisbeth for some, making myself an even bigger pain in the arse? All these options kept leading to dead ends right left and centre, almost making this place feel like a prison. Perhaps I could make money out of my human identity, but I'd be dancing with death doing that. Who knew who was part of this Pale Communion or not? Why, I didn't even know if Murphy was a member or not! I suppose I could try and get a bit of information from him really carefully.

"Heard of any reports of humans coming here in the past few months? Just looking at the history of the different continents, they all seemed to have human founders, and with Floyd coming in as a pokemon and stuff, I was wondering how common it was." I said, filling a few gaps in my knowledge with some estimates.

"Lemme think...I think there was someone who claimed he was human in New Australia. Read it in the local paper, but there wasn't any report on him since then. Speaking of New Australia, did you know that the mayor of Syrinx is a human? Well, so he claims anyway. Has the body of an emboar. Still, I don't really take much interest in that, so it doesn't bother me." He said, before looking around. "I think I've shown you all the good stuff. Anyway, I'll take you to Lakeside Park tomorrow if you want. It's just a twenty minute walk North of the town, I think you'll love it there."

"Lakeside Park huh? Any willow trees there? I guess you'll have a lot of memories of that place." I said, grinning slightly.

"Sure do. Been there so many times in my life. Then again, I was born here, so that's really not surprising. We should go my exam is done tomorrow. Are you ready for it? Heh, I just hope I am after failing the last couple of attempts. My parents wouldn't be too happy if I failed again" He said, being unusually calm about the entire thing. Clearly, he lacked my discipline.

"I'll be waiting until next time, I'd likely fail if I went in now." I said, knowing I'd be beyond humiliating if I tried the combat part now. "So it comes in five parts, what are they like?"

"Er, history just focuses on our origins on this continent, but it can be tricky for me, English is just making sure you can read, write and speak well. Geography is more of a global thing, so just memorize the world map and you'll be fine, and the combat thing's a complete doddle. It's the math part that caused me to fail twice in a row, I just find it really hard to get to grips with it." He said, sounding a little sad. Still, it seems like our problems were reversed. All things considered, getting top grades in a Master's physics degree, my maths knowledge might be the best in town, but I was probably as weak as a five year old.

"What's the combat part like? I'm most worried about that." I asked as he chuckled slightly.

"Just fight one of the examiners. Don't worry, they don't go all out and they'll pass you if you do well enough. It's by far the easiest part, I'm sure you'll-"

"I don't know how to fight." I said, cutting him off.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, looking a bit confused.

"As in I can't fight. I've no idea how to use psionic abilities at all, nor can I throw a good punch or kick." I admitted, not looking into his eyes.

"Wait, you can't use any psychic abilities at all?! Like, none of them?!" Murphy said, clearly being shocked. "What do they teach you there?!"

"Maths and physics, it runs in my family. We just stayed in most of the time learning about that stuff, we had no reason to learn how to fight." I lied, being the only one in my family who was any good at that sort of field. Advanced calculus felt natural to me whereas my sister got constantly stumped by even basic trigonometry.

"Man, how did you survive? I heard Conviction was a pretty rough place." He said as I was forced to make up more lies on the spot. I was beginning to get increasingly wary of this guy, and I'm sure he'd catch me out in a lie eventually.

"The rumours are exaggerated." I said simply, and he seemed to take it just fine. "Anyway, I need to clean myself up somewhere. I'm my legs are still covered in mud from the swamp, not to mention all this sweat from trying to keep up with you."

"There's a couple of washing stations down there, but they don't let kids use them alone. There's the river though, I just go there if I need to." He said as I gave him a dejected look. This was beyond a joke! Until you pass that adulthood test, you're a fucking slave here!

"...When do most people pass the adulthood exam anyway? As in what age?" I asked.

"About fourteen or fifteen. Remember that espurr in the library? She passed when she just turned twelve! Impressive, huh?" He said as I agreed, even if I didn't know how hard it actually was. "Ah, looks like we're at the square again." He said, and I was kind of glad to see Nisbeth again.

"Right, I'm going to cool off at the river first before going back there. I feel filthy and it's driving me crazy." I said, trying to find where it is. Murphy was glad to show me as per usual and he guided me there as I dipped my legs in the water. Ahh, nice and and cold and refreshing! I felt the dirt and sweat wash away, but as pleasant as it was, it couldn't wash away my real troubles. Still, it was better than nothing as I dunked my entire body in briefly to wash myself, which felt very strange on my fur, which clung to my body after I walked back onto dry land, taking a quick drink from the river, given I didn't see any water fountains about. I sure hope it was clean!

"You look ridiculous like that!" Murphy said as I shook myself dry a bit. It was surprisingly fun, I admit, especially seeing Murphy get a bit wet.

"Better that than a muddy mess." I said, as the sun above me was already drying me off. Looking at Murphy as I walked back to meet Nisbeth, I started wondering if I should take a leaf out of his book. I'd never find Melinda without speaking to more of the locals, but then again, if they ask me what species of pokemon she is, I could be exposed, and I had no idea if she was also a meowstic or not. There had to be a better way...I suppose I could sleep on that tonight, as I noticed that the sun was about an hour away from setting.

"Well, maybe I'll see you tomorrow then." Murphy said, though I wasn't sure how to feel about that.

"Yeah, maybe..." I said, trailing off as Murphy waved me goodbye before suddenly running off. I assume that all the school talk actually made him take action to make sure he'd pass. Looking at the town square in front of me, I saw Nisbeth talking to an authoritative looking nidoking.

"...So, you claimed you adopted someone?" I overheard him ask Nisbeth.

"Yes, I did. His name is Basil, he's a meowstic and eighteen years old. He came from Conviction, though he's pretty tight lipped about his past. I reckon something tragic could have happened. I only adopted him earlier today when I found him fleeing for his life in the bayou." He said before noticing me. "Speaking of Basil, this is him here. Good timing."

"I see..." The nidoking said, writing down a bunch of details. I noticed some kind of newspaper on the stall that Nisbeth was selling. I was mostly paying attention to what was being said, but I decided to take a peek. From the looks of things, there was another theatre being built up in Newer Orleans – still couldn't get past that name – and a couple of other stuff that made the larger town look like quite a nice place. A tale of a heroic magmar saving a couple of kids who got stranded on a nearby mountain, some talk show that happened in front of a live audience, which was to be recorded on 'frisms', whatever they were, for the rich and transcribed for the poor. Other articles included vandalism upon human temples, likely from the Pale Communion, how the expedition society in Newer Orleans's stock was plummeting due to there not being much of a need for them anymore and a strange statue suddenly appearing at the edge of Bonnieport with no sculptor claiming that they created it.

"...Ok, since he's at least eighteen, he will be required to take an adulthood exam as soon as possible, which will be tomorrow." The nidoking said as I suddenly piped up.

"But I'll never be ready for it by tomorrow!" I said, piping up.

"Will I be forced to pay for the application?" Nisbeth said, grumbling slightly.

"First time is free, after which, it has to be paid for." The nidoking said in a gruff voice, continuing to write things down on some kind of notepad. "Consider this more as a measurement for his progress so the school can decide how best to educate Basil." He continued, barely even acknowledging my existence.

"Look, I don't think he's much of a fighter." Nisbeth said, trying to stick up for me.

"Well, he'd better learn quickly then. I'll pass this along to the education department so they can slot Basil in for the exam." He said before walking off.

"I'll be screwed! I don't want to get beaten up!" I said fearfully as I helped Nisbeth pack up after selling almost all of his fish.

"They won't injure you that badly, it won't be that bad. Are you sure you can't do anything at all to fight? Maybe you can practice just outside the shack this evening just as long as you don't blast it." He said, but my fears didn't subside on our way back home.

"Where do I start? Do I just open up my ears and hope for the best?" I said, but Nisbeth didn't seem to know either.

"Do I look like a meowstic to you? Why would I know something like that?" He said before I came to my decision.

"I just won't do the fighting part. They won't injure me 'that badly?' I'd rather not get injured at all!" I proclaimed. "If I have to pass this in order to be considered a person – or an adult, there's not much difference here – then I'll just have to learn how to fight. I'll need to wait until I'm ready though."

"It won't be the only reason you'll need to learn. If you want to find your sister, then you might need to travel great distances. The world isn't a safe one, and you'll need to be tough if you want to survive in it, as you saw what happened when you were almost eaten by the swampert." He said as I gave a hollow laugh. Given that Melinda was an excellent pokemon trainer, perhaps she could train me. If only she was here...I needed her more than ever now.

"Ooh, I am so fucked..." I said as we returned to the bayou, and I was already missing Serenity after a mere minute after re-entering those swampy conditions again. Would Nisbeth have to escort me to the edge of the bayou each and every single time, given I was that vulnerable to being forced to sustain a larger pokemon's existence for a day? I really didn't want to put too much on the guy, since I considered him a friend.

Upon arriving home at the shack, I decided to at least try to view the psionic field to view a meowstic's powers. Standing about ten meters away from the shack and facing away from it, I tried feeling my ears. I knew that they could use their abilities without opening them, but I couldn't feel it within me at all, so it looks like I needed to try something a bit stronger.

"Well, here goes..." I muttered as I started prying them open. As soon as I started open them, they suddenly snapped open as my vision started twisting and distorting as I viewed the world in front of me with four eyes as opposed to two. That's it! I have seen what no human has even seen before! The psionic field! The field of existence that the top scientists of the world have only just begun to track! With all four eyes, I could witness it in all its glory! I couldn't quite make sense of how the world seemed through this filter and I was beginning to get distracted by the power surging through my brains – all three of them – and I began to understand why they had some of the highest potential of psychic energy among all species of pokemon! However, I would soon understand why they were some of the worst in a long battle as I felt my eyes and brains start to succumb under the surging energy flowing through them. I suddenly found myself being blasted back by my own might as my ears shut themselves, as if there was an instinctual fail-safe, trying to contain that amount of power.

"Basil, are you all right?" I heard Nisbeth ask from behind as I slowly got to my feet.

"Ow...think I hurt myself a bit." I muttered, but even though all I succeeded in doing was blasting myself, I did know I at least had the potential to blast...something. There was at least a connection I had to the psionic field in this body, so I figured that learning how to use a meowstic's abilities wasn't out of the question, but how long would I have to train for before I was ready to potentially pass the fight part of the adulthood exam. My headache was thankfully already dying down, but it exhausted me physically as well as mentally. Thankfully, a fish stew from Nisbeth soon cleared that right up.

What a day I had! If life was scripted, then it felt like I had gotten a brand new writer who knew nothing of my old writer! I wound up in a swamp in a body of a meowstic, almost got eaten by a swampert, got saved by a toxicroak and got a tour around Poke-Louisiana by a heliolisk all in a single day. I'd be furious at The Guardian of Forever, and while I still was, I was rather preoccupied with trying to digest all this information.

"I don't have bedding, but I do have a spare pillow. Continue to help me fish and sell them, and I'll get you better sleeping conditions. Anyway, you'd better rest up for the exam tomorrow." He said, passing me a battered looking pillow.

"Oh joy...eh, thanks anyway." I said, resting on it. "Think you could take me to the edge of the swamp? The rest of the way doesn't look dangerous, I'll be fine then."

"I'll do that." He said kindly before climbing into bed himself. "The fish go by real quickly at the crack of dawn, so I'll be getting up real early. I guess you'll be getting up early too then."

"If at all possible, I'll study more in the library so I can pass the other sections, or at least have a chance of them. The rest of the exam seems straight forward according to Murphy." I said, wondering if he got a clue to practice some maths before the exam tomorrow.

"Can't believe you put up with that tyke for that long if I'm being honest." He said before getting under the covers. "I mean, he's not a bad person but...I think you know what I mean."

"That I do. He's taken a liking to me though, and I'm not sure why. Is he like that with everyone?" I asked.

"Mostly, yeah." Nisbeth said, shutting the blinds at the window above his bed. "Well, see you tomorrow Basil."

"Goodnight." I said, feeling exhausted after such a hectic day. Regardless, I couldn't lose sight of the end goal – finding Melinda. Thinking of possible ways I could identify myself to her without making it obvious that I was humans was difficult though as I ran through many possibilities. A distinguishable Rush lyric perhaps? Hrm, going around saying 'the suburbs have no charms to soothe the restless dreams of youth' to random people might make me seem like a lunatic at best and suspicious at worst, so that might not work. Thinking of other things only a human or Melinda might know, I cast my mind back to the programmes we used to watch with our family. Dr Who, Star Trek, or my grandpa's favourite, Fawlty Towers, even if he wasn't even born by the time it came out. That was it! The main character was _Basil_ Fawlty! Completing the message, I threw my mind into my childhood to think of other things. The Smurfs...ooh, _Basil_ Brush! That was it, I had got it! My alias!

Now, how best can I advertise to people if they knew 'The Faulty Brush?'

((NOTE: This will likely be the end of my rapid spree of chapters unless I churn out the 6th in two days, which will be unlikely. In two days, I'll be off on holiday abroad for a month where I will get little to nothing done in regards to Incarnation (though don't be surprised to see chapter 6 come out in about a week or so if I can work on it while on the plane journey). After I come back, I'll be off to University in a couple of days. As a result, progress will slow down heavily from here on out, and in the long term, it depends how much time and effort university takes. I will not abandon it, as I cannot stand seeing a partially done project of any kind being abandoned, but it'll be slower from here on out. That being said, I'll be sure to make the time to work on it here and there during my time at university, and as I like to say, if there's something you truly care about 'I don't have enough time for that' is a cop out. If you really care about it, then you'll _make_ the time, and I intend to do so.

Regardless, those are the first five chapters. If you wouldn't mind me asking, I'd like to know what you thought of some of the approach changes I made to Incarnation compared to The Unknown Continuum, such as shorter chapters and less gratuitous fight scenes. How about the four main characters? (Basil, Melinda, Nisbeth and Murphy) Should I buff up the more descriptive text to make it a bit more flowery, or do you like it fairly dry and to the point? I look forward to any response I get, and I'll be sure to take note in order to help make Incarnation a cut above The Unknown Continuum.

See you soon!))


	6. Lakeside Park

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 6: Lakeside Park

The stench of the swamp assaulted my nostrils as it awakened me from my awkward sleep. Guess I'm still here then; still in a world that I was simply not cut out for. It was hard to see as it was still night time, but I could see Nisbeth shuffling around his shack, possibly getting some food. I really owed a lot to this guy, for saving my life and giving me a place to stay, and I started feeling a bit guilty as a result. He noticed me standing up as he gave me a small loaf of bread to eat and a mug of water. Bland, but sufficient.

"Ok, I'll walk you to the edge of the swamp and leave you there. The sun is probably just about to come up, and the library will probably be open by the time you get there. Regardless how the exam goes, you're spending almost all day fishing to make up for this." He said, taking a rather authoritative position that I wasn't too keen on, but I wasn't going to argue with him either.

"It seems pointless that I'm being forced to take the adulthood exam this early. Unless the pass mark is averaged out across all the fields, I'm bound to fail." I said, sighing as ate the rather stale bread. "I'll score a big fat zero in the fight since I can't do it at all."

"Well, not with that attitude at least." Nisbeth responded, trying to perk me up a bit as we set out through the swamp. It'd have been a nightmare and a half if I was alone, but I trusted Nisbeth could protect me well.

"Would it be possible with a couple of week? Possibly, I don't know, but until I know about the basics, I'll never pass." I said, as we walked out of the swamp, the sky becoming a bit lighter.

"Well, if you smash the other four subjects, then they'll likely just focus your education on battle, so you might be able to learn quickly." He said, stopping as I shook my head slightly.

"If only they awarded points for diffusing situations and avoiding violent tussles altogether." I muttered under my breath.

"This world isn't safe Basil – you really need to learn this stuff for your own good." He said before returning to the mire as I made my own way up the hill. The sun, or whatever this star was called, was just peeking over the hills behind the town, illuminating it rather beautifully. I could probably just sit here for a few minutes to just gaze at this picturesque sight, but I had things to do.

It seems like I was the first one in the library aside from the staff members as I grudgingly strolled to the kids section and started trying to cram as much geographical and historical knowledge into my brain, or brains, as my new body had three, as possible. The books didn't go too in-depth about all this, leading me to believe that the exam for those sections wouldn't be too hard. Perhaps the natives here had weak study tactics for something this straight forward to be at the 'adulthood exam,' and I was begging to everything that is good and true that I didn't have to pass each section individually.

"So, did your 'dad' make you get up early to study?" A familiar voice said from behind, making me jump in surprise.

"Damn, Nisbeth, don't sneak up on me like that!" I said, jumping in my skin slightly. "Oh, your question...I came here on my own accord. By the way, do the exams take an average total for the different tests or do they expect you to pass each one. I am really, _really_ hoping its the former.

"Nah, you have to pass each one. I'd have passed by now if I didn't keep failing the math part." He said as I felt myself sink into the stool that I was sitting on. Well, might as well give up here. I could have all the theory knowledge on a pokemon's abilities, but nothing on how to use them effectively myself. Knowing my sister, she'd be a lot better than this than I would be. Maybe she'll have the magic touch when it comes to being a pokemon and not just training them. Who knows – maybe she'll be the one able to train me! The thought of that was both hilarious and creepy, but it may become a necessity if she finds me before I'm able to pass. Come to think of it, she probably has no idea that I was also taken by The Guardian of Forever. Well, she'd find out eventually...

A couple of hours later, I started feeling confident about the geography and history parts. This book right here was a very handy 'how to pass' guide, but it didn't really offer anything on fighting, saying that it was best left to families and practical activities, saying that a textbook can't offer much in that area. A real shame, since I probably could have wormed at least a bit of advice and help from it to make my impending failure less spectacular. I was really hoping that espurr would show up again to potentially help me, but she was nowhere to be seen. Murphy didn't look like he was having much luck either, and his perky demeanour was being defeated by, what was to me anyway, some pretty simple maths. Should I help this guy? Could he have anything that he could offer me? Yet, throughout this questioning, there was a part of me that really wanted him to pass. Why? I didn't really know or care about this guy. It was strange to say the least, and it felt like the exact opposite of how I felt irrationally furious towards Floyd back in the human world. Neither feeling had much logic or reason behind it, and it was really starting to bother me. Still, this was a very minor incident compared to me feeling the need to potentially throw my entire life away, so...why not?

"Right, Murphy, listen carefully. I'm going to explain this to you, and I'm going to get you to pass the maths test." I said, moving my stool next to him to see what he was doing wrong.

"Really, you'll help me Basil?" He said, his face suddenly lighting up. Truth be told, I was hardly a good teacher, but maybe I could explain it in a way that would make sense to him where all previous attempts by his teachers failed.

"Yup, so pay attention! Right, so from the looks of things, you're not dividing these long multiplication questions into bite-sized parts. I'll show you a way you might find easier..." I went on trying to explain different types of questions in many different ways, determined to find out a way that he could get the methods into his skull. I didn't want to dent his confidence going in, since he seemed to be one who learned and improved from compliments rather than criticisms such as myself, but he was really bad at maths. Regardless, I believe that anyone could be good at anything they wanted to be if they put in enough time and effort, and it seems like my methods were starting to yield some results. I could see him break down each question into more manageable parts, and with my guidance, he no longer sucked as hard. At this rate, he'd be good enough to pass, which made me feel oddly happy. Did I consider Murphy a friend? That was hard to tell, as my mind felt torn in two over the issue. Knowing me, I wouldn't have helped him until I knew him better, so why did I feel the need to give him a leg up right there? Did it possibly have anything to do why I couldn't stand Floyd, even though he never actually did anything to me?

"I...I think I can do it! Thanks Basil, thank you so much!" He said, his voice almost squeaking as he pulled me into a tight hug. Well, I guess that was one way to show your gratitude!

"Yeah, just don't fail and stuff..." I muttered as he let me go. "Well, exam starts in an hour, so you should take us there." I said as he lead me out of the library and onto the school grounds. I already saw a family there, talking to one another. It consisted of a very young looking goomy, a sligoo who looked like he was taking the exam and...oh no. Please, mother of mercy, get those two goodras out of there!

"Hey Basil, is something wrong? Nervous about the exam?" He asked.

"It's not that, it's...those!" I said, pointing to the two goodra parents.

"Wait, what's wrong with them? They're, like, the nicest family in town!" He replied, clearly not getting it.

"...I find them absolutely terrifying." I said, seeing the disgusting goop drip from their chins and bellies, making my skin shiver as my hairs started standing on end in fright.

"...Why? No, really, why? I really don't get it. Did you get attacked by one as a child?" He asked as I shook my head.

"Actually, no, I just find their species to be the scariest thing on Earth. I can't explain it at all. It's like why a lot of people are afraid of spiders and stuff. The little things are harmless unless you live in Australia, so there's no reason to-" I said before Murphy cut me off.

"What's so dangerous about the spiders in New Australia?" He asked as I suddenly froze. I just made a huge mistake, casually chatting away if I was still in the human world. How could I recover from this? I needed to lie my way out of this, quickly! But what could I say.

"Er...my...my friend was bitten by one there and needed medical care for the next few days." I said, hoping that would suffice. I didn't actually know anyone who had ever been to Australia, let alone live there, so what I told was one hundred percent garbage. I just hoped that Murphy wouldn't question it too much...

"Never heard of stuff like that happening in New Australia before." He said as I was forced to try and improvize again. Melinda, I could sure use your silver tongue right not to get me out of this jam!

"Rare species. Never found outside of the continent, and it's still very uncommon inside New Australia. Can't remember what the type of spider is called though, so don't ask me that. Anyway, back to more important things; anything you want to ask me about maths before we go in?"I asked, changing the subject while also trying to stay out of sight of those terrifying goodras, who I could hear making strange, unearthly sounds from their mouths.

"Yeah, I think I'm ready. It's a shame I don't know much at all about how meowstics fight though. If you were a helioptile or a heliolisk, like me, I could get you to pass the fight easily! Are you sure you can't battle at all?" He asked as I shrugged.

"It's not that I'm crippled, it's just that my family never considered it important, ergo, we never learned." I said, as we registered ourselves in for the exam. Of course, I filled in a couple of false details so I wouldn't be kicked out of Broussard upon my first and only failed exam, and in no time, we were ready to go.

English was pretty easy as I expected, and it seemed to be at low secondary school level, intended for people around the age of thirteen. It was never my strongest subject, but I still knew more than enough to confidently answer every question and complete every task. From taking the occasional glance at Murphy a couple of desks away from me., it was the only academic thing that he seemed to be confident in, so good for him I guess.

Maths was next, and I found it to be a complete doddle as expected, given I must have been several levels above what they were asking me to do here. I finished the entire paper in fifteen minutes when there was an hour time limit, and that included checking my work at the end.

"It only took you fifteen minutes?" One of the teachers, a watchog said to me.

"Yeah, it was very easy for me." I said casually. I could see that from the look on Murphy's face that he was struggling, but he also seemed determined to make it work. "When do we get the results?"

"As early as seven o'clock in the evening if you want to find out that soon. One of my colleagues is already marking your work." He replied as I ran through some notes I made for the geography test. I should be able to pass this, but I'd have to actually try this time. I saw Murphy was only able to hand in his work at the last second, and from the face he was wearing, he had no idea whether he did well enough to pass or not.

"I...I did better than last time, I know that at least. Do you reckon it'll be enough to pass?" He asked me, looking nervous, yet hopeful.

"No idea, I guess we'll just have to wait. Though, if you wanted a more concrete answer, I'd say I have a good feeling that you passed." I said, smiling, trying to make him feel better. "Keep this up, and you'll be an adult." I said, muttering to myself about the bizarre requirements for adulthood under my breath.

History and geography required substantially more effort, and in hind sight, if the textbook I found wasn't geared purely to passing the course, then I probably would have failed these exams. It was particularly hard to remember some of the German-sounding cities from Fremdesland, but given I only had a mere day to try and cram information into my brain, I still think I did well all things considered. Murphy looked completely relieved after the history test was over as he swiftly ran up to me.

"You know, I reckon I might have finally passed!" He said, his southern accent getting stronger as his voice went high in excitement.

"Good for you..." I trailed off, knowing what would come last. Well, maybe now would be a good time to just bow out, cut my losses, admit defeat, and start working towards the next victory. I guess I'd just have to tell the examiners that I can't do the combat exam and save me from getting a savage beating.

"Excuse me, Ms Simipour, I've come to announce that I can't do the combat exam." I said as soon as I approached her. She looked at me from the side, facing away from the papers she was marking and gave me a perplexed look.

"Why is this? Is there some kind of medical reason? You don't look hurt or anything." She replied, marking the exams as well as answering my statements. Clearly, she could multi-task well.

"Well, I was kind of forced to take the exam early since I'm not from Broussard and I'm above the age of sixteen. Quite simply put, I can't fight, and all that would happen if I took the test is that I would get hurt and embarrassed." I said, sounding a little sheepish. I expected her to look irritated, but instead, she smiled warmly at me, and I was really wondering why.

"It's normal for children to feel nervous before and during their adulthood exam, but that doesn't mean you'll fail. Here, look at this." She said before showing me my maths test. "One hundred percent, only using fifteen minutes. You're clearly extremely bright, and I'm sure you can pass the combat test." I didn't take too well to being patronized like this as I frowned slightly.

"My family and I never learned how to fight. I can barely even use any psychic or psionic abilities, and this is the equivalent of doing an exam on Ger-er, the language of Fremdesland without the knowledge that the continent even exists." I said, still hoping I could get out of it. Still, I was at least glad I was able to catch myself from revealing that I know things that the pokemon of this world shouldn't know.

"Basil, perhaps this could be the best thing for you. When I teach my class, I always say that the best learning environment is tackling challenges and experiences that are completely new and unknown. Even if you fail, this will surely be a great learning opportunity for you, and should you need another attempt, you'll surely do better than last time. Who knows; maybe you'll learn something about yourself." She said, smiling warmly at me. Well, this would certainly be a lesson in pain! To think I never really considered what it was like being a professional battling pokemon back in England! I always appreciated their efforts back in my trainer days, but this was a whole new perspective...no, it wasn't. They wanted to fight, and they were most certainly able. I was neither of those things.

"Ok, I'll put it another way: The exam is in a controlled environment. Out there in the wilderness, and even occasionally on the streets is a very different matter. Here, you might get a chance to feel what combat is about while it's safe, and if you can't even face up to that..." She said before I finally got the message. She was a persuasive one, and she had won me over. I really should be nipping this issue in the bud before it grows out of hand, as much as I despised the idea.

"...I'll do it." I said, breathing deeply to steady myself.

"Excellent! Oh, you're up first – we're going in alphabetical order." She said, directing me towards the door leading outside onto the school field. Why didn't my parents name me Zachary...

"Ready Basil?" Murphy said, pointing to the watchog speaking to the farfetch'd at the other side of the field. "I think you'll be fighting the watchog."

"Well, they aren't exactly the toughest of species..." I said, shuddering as I tried to think of reasons why it would be so bad. I walked out onto the field very slowly as my name was called as I stared into the watchog's eyes. I remembered that you only had to well enough to pass, not necessarily win. Maybe there was the slightest chance...

"Ready, Basil Meowstic? Here, I, the almighty vice-principle Watchog, will be the most prestigious gatekeeper to your ascension into adulthood!" He announced dramatically, making me think that he was getting way into the idea of beating up a 'child' as he made dramatic gestures to everyone around him. That watchog seemed to be acting as if this was showman wrestling, something that drove me crazy as a child since all my friends adored it way more than I did. The farfetch'd looked like he was finding it hard to

Ok, Basil, just think clearly for a second: Let's see what strengths I have. I'm a professional battle strategist, and my opponent is a watchog, so how would I figure out the plan that gives me the best chance of winning. Well, they're never used by any trainer anywhere near my sister's level since all they have is alarmingly good reactions and nothing else. They only have a bog-standard set of physical abilities and they're not a particularly agile species. Now, if I were the trainer, I'd ask myself to keep a safe distance, look away from any hypnotizing abilities should it use them and just wear it down with a careful, yet precise psionic assault. Should be straight forward, but the meowstic that I would have is genuinely terrible, and I don't know what _this_ watchog can do, or how the pokemon differ in this world aside from being civilized.

"Begin in three...two...one...go!" The farfetch'd yelled as I suddenly the enthusiastic watchog sprint right at me on all fours. In the body of a smaller being, it moved considerably faster than I could anticipate, forcing me to dive clumsily to the side as it lunged at me, teeth and claws bared for attack.

"Holy fuck! Stop, please!" I screamed instinctively, suddenly feeling terrified of the pokemon attacking me like that as I scrambled to my feet. The watchog gave me a confused look and shrugged.

"You do realise this is part of your test, right? I'll give you a point for avoiding my attack...I suppose." He said, his enthusiasm vanishing into the void as he stared lazily at me. I saw that he was going to try and lull me into sleep with hypnotic techniques, so I quickly looked away and kept a big distance – I was having none of that!

"Seems like you've studied fighting theory at least." He said, sounding almost impressed. I guess these fools here were easy to impress within certain fields. He suddenly ran at me again as I kept backing off, getting ready to dive out of the way at the last moment, but instead of diving at me, he suddenly kicked a wad of mud and dirt right at me. This change in approach caught me off guard as the earth hit me pretty hard, and one second later, I suddenly felt a very sharp pain across my side as I fell over, clutching it in agony.

"Ow! OW! Oh...oh no, it's bleeding! How could you do that to me you 'child' abuser!?" I yelled out, trying to keep as steady as I could through the pain as I pushed myself to my feet with one arm, my other one clutching the wound I just received. The watchog looked completely dejected as his palm met his face quickly as he shook his head.

"Principal, can we just fail Basil already? This is...this is beyond sad." He said loudly, his voice becoming incredibly monotone. I looked at the principal and nodded hard with a big smile on my face, trying to encourage her to step in and end it so I could get someone to look at my wound.

"Basil's still in fighting shape, so I'll decide when it's over. Basil can still pass you know." She said as I went to protest.

"I give up! I announce my defeat! I am conceding this victory!" I announced, storming up to her, grunting and groaning at the pain in my side.

"...That's a mild scratch Basil. I like to see every student push themselves to their limits so they can discover for themselves what they're capable of. It's the best learning experience possible, so I'm not letting you give up here." She said, giving me a friendly looking smile, though I certainly didn't welcome the friendliness.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me..." I said, half murmuring half whining as I turned to look at the watchog again. Behind him on the sidelines, I saw Murphy looking a little dismayed at my performance, yet he still cheered me on anyway, somehow thinking I could suddenly pull a miracle off. If I were my sister, maybe I could do such a thing.

"Basil, could you at least _try_ to attack me, ok?" Watchog said, his face growing even more disgruntled by the second.

"I don't know how! I've been telling everyone and they never fucking listen to a word I say!" I screamed as he ran at me from side to side, trying to trick me. From a trainer perspective, I could easily tell his every move, but it was much harder to do so while focusing on your own actions as well, something a trainer never really had to do. Through the pain and the fear of getting another agonizing lesson, I lost my nerve and turned tail to flee, trying to desperately escape this animalistic, violent exam. As predicted, I was the slower one and I soon felt him pounce on me from behind, tackling me to the ground as my body started shaking in panic.

"Get off! GET OFF!" I screamed in terror as I felt that I could no longer flee in my position. I heard the watchog mutter something to the simipour, as my fear began to manifest itself in another form. My vision changed slightly as certain...things came into view. Was this the psionic plane again? What did this constitute of? I saw a rather large field around the watchog above me, but I couldn't make sense of it at all, nor could I use it in anyway. I suddenly saw that he had his teeth bared at me as I shrieked in panic. I wasn't sure what happened, but watchog was off me and was about a couple of meters to my left.

"Wait...you actually did something?" Watchog said, getting up before did. "Well, I guess that doesn't make you the worst ever student to take the combat exam. Care to try to show a bit more now?" He announced before scooping up some mud in his hand. Thinking back to last night, maybe this would be the only way I could pass – I had to open up my ears and just hope for the best! Dodging the ball of mud he threw at me, I forced my ears open by using my hands as I felt that bizarre power surge through me once more as I stared at the world with four eyes. This was my only chance to get this over and done with, and I had to try it now! But what could I do? I had no control over this psychic energy and I already started to feel it spiking to uncomfortable levels. I wanted it to stop, I wanted all of this to stop! Glaring at watchog, I saw the sensitive neck of his. Maybe if I couldn't control it, maybe I could just attack him there somehow! Running at him, I yelled out in fear and fury, but before I could get there, I felt my body buckle under the sheer energy as it felt like my frame got hit by an explosion of some kind. I felt myself being tossed into the air and one second later, everything suddenly went blank.

"That was probably the strangest combat exam I've ever seen...oh, you're awake Basil. That was...interesting." I heard Murphy say as I saw the blurry outline of his yellow and black body to my right.

"...What happened?" I said weakly as I saw an audino inspect me.

"Mild head injury, you'll be fine in an hour, so just rest here. You can see the rest of them take the combat exam from here if you want." She said as I nodded, wanting to see how Murphy would do if he hadn't already taken it yet.

"I'll stay...how long have I been out for?" I asked. I felt very weak as dull pains throbbed over my entire body, making it hard to move at all.

"Just twenty minutes." She replied, not giving me any eye contact as she finished off her inspection. Needless to say, I think I'd prefer the medical support back on my world.

"I failed, didn't I." I muttered sadly, seeing that all that shit I went through was pretty much for nothing.

"Obviously! I didn't expect you to be that terrible Basil!" Murphy said while grinning before suddenly looking guilty. "...Sorry, just my initial reaction, I swear I didn't mean to say it like that."

"That's fine..." I muttered, frowning at him. "Anyway, looks like you're up Murphy." I weakly gestured to the teachers with my head as I saw him sprint over to them with incredible haste. The teachers over there seemed to be arguing among themselves before farfetch'd grudgingly entered the field, looking rather nervous as he held its stalk in his wings. Over the next five minutes, I would understand why he was anxious. Murphy, for all his goofiness and immaturity, was a real joy to behold in combat. The way he ran and leapt in many different directions, firing off many electrical attacks as he did so, was like something out of the regional leagues of competitive battling. Seeing him be able to dodge almost everything while retaliating with great accuracy suddenly made me very glad that he was my friend and not my enemy. While Watchog was clearly holding back against me, Farfetch'd was clearly trying his best, and while he was able to land a few good hits in, an unexpected stream of fire from Murphy suddenly shut him down.

"Damn, that was actually pretty amazing!" I said, his performance out there making me feel a bit better.

"It was always pretty easy to me." He said happily as I saw Farfetch'd limp over to the other teachers, and I could imagine that he was grumbling about being picked to test Murphy. "I overheard them by the way, you failed spectacularly, just in case you didn't already figure that out."

"Trust me, I was able to work that one out for myself. I would say that screaming like a little girl would have lost me points, but I bet even a few little girls have passed this." I said, grumbling as I got to my feet. All things considered, I wasn't too badly hurt, and I felt as though I could walk fine. Maybe I was being a bit melodramatic back there, and from what I could tell from the others taking the exam, it was clear they were being very careful to not hurt each other too much.

"I think I'm about to be handed my results! Hey, I think I might have actually passed everything this time! Come with me, I'll show you to my mom and pop!" He said as I smiled awkwardly, as if he was treating me as some trophy to show people, though I'm sure he meant well.

"If you're quick." I said, not wanting to elaborate further. I didn't want his family probing around who I was too much after all. I grabbed my results first from Simipour and looked at them right away. As expected, English and maths were pretty much a one hundred percent result, geography and history were fairly narrow passes and...well...sixteen out of a hundred for combat. All things considered, it wasn't quite as dismal a result as I expected.

"Oh Basil, before you go, just a quick word about the sort of curriculum I'll line out for you. Clearly you're more than fine for math and English, so no education needed there. One class for history and geography should be sufficient, which leaves the...obvious issue." The simipour said to me just before I left before turning around.

"I did say I couldn't fight. I don't know what else you expected from me there." I said, frowning ever so slightly.

"Yet you were able to do something! You didn't just lie down and take it! I think you must have learned something from that, right Basil? Anyway, most of the time it will be combat focused, and I might even be able to get you some more specialized tuition from a meowstic once a week. From what we saw, your theory combat knowledge seems to be good, so if you focus hard on that one area, you might be able to pass in a mere four months or so!" She said, sounding very happy for me, which was in star contrast to how I felt. Four months of potentially being trapped in this little village?! No! I can't accept this! There had to be another way! Forge an adulthood ID card? Somehow cheat the exam next time? ...I'd find a way. I'd find a way to start my real search for Melinda.

"Yeah, sounds good..." I said quietly before rejoining Murphy who looked like he was talking to his parents, looking very excited.

"Sorry we couldn't attend the exam, we both had work." The mother said before seeing me approaching them. "Oh, is this Basil? Pleased to meet you! Murphy here spoke highly of you."

"Yeah, that's me." I said softly before shaking their hands. The foster father, a carracosta grunted at me before shaking my hand.

"I heard you helped Murphy here with the math exam. Let's hope it paid off then. So, Murphy, care to show us your results?" He asked before Murphy started looking through the results papers. Pass...pass...pass...pass...and pass! Murphy's face lit up like the sun itself before screeching for joy, leaping at least an entire meter in the air in jubilation.

"YES! Yesyesyesyesyesyes! Thank you Basil, you're a life saver!" He said, hugging me tightly. Seems like he was almost as physically strong as he was agile, for I felt badly crushed and found it hard to breathe.

"It was...all you..." I said, trying to squeeze my words through a tightened chest. Murphy put me down before going to hug and celebrate with his parents, who looked equally relieved as they did cheery. Good going for Murphy I guess, and while I felt happy for him, I wasn't any closer to finding Melinda. Regardless, as an adult, he could prove useful to my mission, so I think that befriending him would be a good idea.

"Hey, we should all go to Lakeside Park now! Maybe I can have one of those beers now that I'm an adult!" Murphy said excitedly, making me sigh. I really could use a nice cold one right now.

"Oh, why not. I'll get you one once we get there." The carracosta said as lead us down a fairly busy path that somewhat lead downhill. In the short distance, I saw a sparse crowd all sitting and standing around the shores of a lake with many stalls, giving an all round feel of a good place to hang around and relax after a tough day.

"Is it usually this busy?" I asked as Murphy shook his head.

"It's usually a bit quieter, but there are more peaceful areas a bit further out. I'll take you there at some other point, but right now, I just want to celebrate!" Murphy said, bouncing slightly as he walked beside me.

"Psst, Murphy, I don't suppose you could smuggle me a beer, could you? Where I come from, you were 'of age' when you hit eighteen, so you can hopefully understand my predicament." I said quietly so his parents couldn't hear. He looked a bit uncomfortable before nodding.

"Sure, anything to repay you." He said and chuckled as he ran down to join the crowds, leaving me with his parents.

"So where are you from anyway? I'm assuming from Conviction, right?" Murphy's mum asked me as I nodded.

"Yeah...sorry if I'm not feeling talkative right now. I'm real happy for Murphy passing and all, but I was a living disaster in the combat exam, so I'm not feeling too good right now." I said, hoping it'd deflect their quizzing that I was sure they were about to unleash upon me.

"That's rather queer: completely acing that ornery math test but flunkin' the combat. Everyone round these parts always finds the combat the easiest part. Did you just choke or something?" His dad asked me in his deep, gravelly voice. If he was to probe me like this, I'd rather it'd be due to the exam.

"I'm just really, really bad at fighting but great at maths." I said simply before running over to join Murphy who had a small beer and a bottle of juice in his hands.

"I sneaked some in for you." He said, winking at me as I smiled back at him before taking a drink. Tasted extremely bland, but it still hit the mark just fine. While it was quite different from the stuff back where I lived, it still reminded me very much of home. The sun looked like it would set in about a couple of hours, so I couldn't spend too long here as a trek home was already dodgy enough during the day.

"S'cuse me, comin' through..." A wavering voice said from a tall yellow pokemon as it stumbled by. It reeked of booze and it dropped an empty bottle right next to us.

"Seen that ampharos before?" I asked as I saw it stop in amongst the crowd.

"Nope. Wonder what his problem is?" He replied as I saw him take some strange device out of his bag and held it high above his head in dramatic fashion.

"What's he doing?!" I said as the crowd looked closely as voices started sounding from the strange pale blue object in his hands.

"So on today's thirtieth gathering, we are discussing a recent phenomenon that has been the subject of discussion all around the world: The increasing occurrence of pokemon claiming to be human." Upon hearing those words being said from the object, my ears tuned in so hard I had to stop them from prying themselves open. Here we go – a lead! I squeezed close as I tried getting as close as possible to the drunk ampharos to hear every single syllable as clearly as I could.

"There's been a total of thirty-seven cases over the past two months, and while pokemon claiming to be human wasn't unheard of before hand, the most prominent example being The Sound of Perseverance from thirty-five years ago, it seems to be a lot more frequent than it used to. Here, I have invited a few guests with some knowledge to discuss this with a variety of different opinions. We have Charlie Ampharos, owner of the Newer Orleans Excursion Club, Guildmaster Bibarel from Treasure Town's Bibarel Guild, the high priestess of the Humanistic Faith, Alice Pangoro and Pierre Lucario of the Global Astrology Foundation. I'll pass it over to Charlie for his views on the situation." The unidentified voice said, which I presumed to be some kind of host. The ampharos in front of me looked proud, so I assumed he was Charlie.

"Sierra and I have been looking into possible causes for this, but we found nothing yet. It's probably the greatest mystery of the world – what are humans? Well, aside from being fairly skinny beings about my size of course. It's a real shame the mayor of Syrinx is so tight-lipped about the whole thing, he could be a real good help here." Charlie said from the strange pale blue device, sounding a lot more sober and lucid than he did now. Shame he seemed like he had a bit of a drinking problem, else he could be of more help. Hopefully I could catch him alone so I could get him to tell me what he knows.

"Michael has requested have people not ask him about the human world, and I believe we should respect that." A female voice said, which I assumed was Alice. "Besides, let's take everything we know about the humans so far – they helped us all ascend from our savage origins and during times of great peril, they have returned to help us deal with the problem such as narrowly averting a war across New Australia and making Syrinx and the rest of the continent into the most prosperous area in this world! I know you've had your own dealings with humans, Bibarel. Can we call you by your birth name?"

"Gosh, it's not really appropriate where I come from outside of close friends and family. Bibarel will do. Anyway, Floyd, or The Sound of Perseverance if you insist on calling him that...just mentioning his name is a touchy and divisive subject these days, given how some churches have sprung up a few years after he came and went. Well, as someone who knew the guy for a couple of months, he seemed to be on edge all the time, and didn't seem like he even wanted to be there at times. Irritable, but always tried to do the right thing. I think if you actually met a human, you wouldn't be able to tell unless they told you, because they act like us, complete with qualities and flaws."

"Have you ever considered the reasons why they come here though?" The fourth voice said, and by process of elimination, it must have been Pierre. He, like Charlie, sounded like he was from Broussard. "Can we be sure it's just our of sheer benevolence?"

"What other reasons could it be?" Alice responded, sounding quite taken aback.

"The Sound of Perseverance comes as soon as there's a crisis. Bibarel, did he start warning everyone as soon as he arrived?" Pierre said.

"Uh, nope, he didn't. He said he had a damaged memory though, and he only seemed to remember about it until many weeks later." Bibarel responded in with a homely sounding English accent, making this world feel that bit less foreign.

"Some very odd circumstances, don't you think?" Pierre responded, which seemed to make Alice angry.

"Ok Pierre, what are you getting at?! The more I look at you, the more I see you as a potential Pale Communion sympathizer!" She retorted, sounding like she was spitting slightly as she spoke.

"Of course not! Those murderous scumbags have supposedly killed over fifty people by now! They seem to strike if they even _think_ you're a human! Charlie, Bibarel, I trust you're working with the police to help shut them down." Pierre said, sounding angry at the accusation.

"...We found someone who claimed they were human a few days ago...we found them dead yesterday evening. Looked like they were killed with a heavy bludgeoning attack." Charlie said, suddenly sounding more serious. My heart stopped all of a sudden upon hearing this. No, it couldn't be! It can't be! Was it all over already!? I just had to ask who he or she was called now! ...I couldn't. Not now that I knew that the Pale Communion could target anyone who seemed suspicious to them, and blurting out like that in public could get me killed indirectly. I had to think carefully about this. Ok, I'd just follow this drunk pokemon after he walks off and keep on him until I get some answers. I'd say that investigating humans was just a childhood hobby of mine if he asks me any uncomfortable questions; hopefully that'd be enough.

"It should be a safety notice, but if there are any humans listening to this recording, do not let anyone, and I mean anyone know who you are. It's too dangerous right now, and it will remain that way unless we find out who these Pale Communion people are and shut them down." Bibarel chimed in, also sounding serious.

"I can say without a doubt that the Pale Communion are the biggest threat to the planet right now. What if the humans find out that they have been killing their visitors?" Alice chimed in as Pierre spoke next.

"I have said previously that the humans could be potentially dangerous since we know very little about them, and with the power to travel between worlds, I agree that potentially getting on their bad side could be a very big mistake." Pierre said before Charlie spoke up again.

"Still doesn't answer the question of who these humans are though. I heard rumours that The Guardian of Forever one time visited their world about thirty years ago, but he's not been seen in some time." Charlie said, catching my attention again. Is it possible he knew something about him?! How could I get him to tell me more?! Glancing over at Murphy who barely drank any of his beer, I started wondering if I could get him to give me a couple of more beers to bribe the drunk Charlie for information. I'd take the chance being late home if possible, daring to take the trek in the dark! A chance like this might not come around for a long time!

"Hey Murphy, you couldn't smuggle me a couple more drinks could you?" I whispered to him. "I'll pay you back for them within three days, I promise."

"Uh...sure." He said, looking a little uncomfortable, but happy enough to help me out. Finishing my own beer, it felt like I had drunk four already, which was probably down to my vastly smaller body. Feeling a bit woozy, I saw the crowd start to disperse as I took two more beers from Murphy. They too were disguised as juice bottles, and I saw Charlie about to leave. This was my chance!

"Murphy, I'll be back in about, say, fifteen minutes. I think your parents want some time with you." I said before following Charlie to a quieter part of Lakeside Park without him realising I was there for quite some time. I didn't even bother to see how Murphy was doing, since I was way too preoccupied with greater things, and once he was isolated enough, I got his attention.

"You must be Charlie from the sound of that blue thing!" I said, sounding happy. "What are they called again? Slips my mind."

"Frisms. Just thought I'd share one of the recordings here since they're really rare and expensive. Well, not entirely free, since people usually pay me with drinks. Anyway, if you're here about wanting to join the Excursion Club, I'm not accepting new recruits right now, so buzz off." He said, slurring his words and burping loudly. "Is it fine if I sleep here?"

"Er...it will be. I just wanted to ask a few things, and it's nothing about the Excursion Club." I said as he gave me a funny look.

"Yer not from around here, huh." He said and chuckled.

"Just wondering about the human you said was killed. Know who she or he was?" I asked as I felt my body freeze in anticipation of his answer.

"Not just now, just let me get a drink..." He said, muttering as he searched his bag. "...Aw, I'm out." He said in frustration, as I saw this as my opportunity to help him.

"Here you go, I got you covered." I said with a smile. "It's beer, don't worry."

"Why's it in a juice bottle?" He said, looking at it before sniffing. In hind sight, this was something I forgot to consider – was smuggling alcohol to 'children' common? Did I just reveal myself as being underaged?! "Whatever, smells good." He said, shrugging as he took a swig.

"Anyway, about that human-" I asked before he looked at me.

"So curious about her, aren't you?" He said to me before taking another large swig. "Why is that?"

"I find these otherworldly visitors fascinating and I want to know as much as I can about them. Just a hobby really, not planning on being an investigator or anything like that. Just curious to find out stuff you can't get in the library." I said, hoping he'd buy my story.

"Fair enough. It _is_ one of the world's greatest mysteries after all." He said, finishing the beer with another huge swig before swaying where he sat. "Ok, got a few notes here. I'm probably not supposed to casually reveal information like this, but, eh, she's dead and it's not like the Pale Communion can kill a dead person they already killed. Don't ask me why they're coming here more frequently than usual though since we just got a bunch of dead ends. Probably just a bunch of pokemon claiming to be to make money from fools though. Trust me, I found out the hard way." He blathered on and on, burping a few times as he talked as the smell of booze filled the air around him.

The notepad he brought out of his bag only remained in his hand for a pitiful two seconds before he accidentally dropped it on the dry grass beneath his feet. Reacting swiftly, I picked it up to have a look and saw a page on pokemon who identified themselves as humans, and as I continued to stare blankly at the page, the list of names started to horrify me to the core and it was a very cruel reminder of just how far up shit creek I really was.


	7. Middletown Dreams

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 7: Middletown Dreams

Rosana Quintana, the winner of 2067's Brazilian national tournament...Oba Taisho, Japan's current champion...Rudolf Steiner, the German champion and a semi-finalist at world's last year. I really looked up to this guy as a trainer for years, and took many pointers from him when developing my tactics for Melinda. Badraan Vohra, Sean Brewer, Siphiwe Maharaj...I recognized these names too. All of them were world class trainers, and now, all of them dead. Mercilessly slaughtered by the Pale Communion. Mounting feelings of despair and fear coursed through me, as my mourning clashed head on with the dread that I could be targeted next by these murderous bastards. The only solace I had is that I did not see Melinda's name on that dreadful list of the deceased, but I started to worry about how long that would last for. Something had to be done about this! When I find her, I'll be opening up with a heated discussion about how we can put an end to these cunts.

"You look incredibly stressed over this." I heard Charlie said, as I realised that I completely forgot that he was even there. I felt startled for a brief second as I heard his voice, as I realised that wearing my emotions on my sleeve like that could have been a big mistake.

"Yeah...just worried about how many more lives they'll extinguish before they're eventually shut down." I said quietly, barely moving my mouth as I spoke. I didn't look him through the eye as I read through the list again, trying not to vomit in sheer repulsion. I eventually handed the list back to Charlie as my body visibly shuddered.

"Know anyone on there? Looks like you did." Charlie said, looking at me closely.

"No." I said imminently, as if it was a kind of reflexive action. Anyone, and I mean anyone could be part of the Pale Communion, including this ampharos. What if all of this was some kind of elaborate ruse to draw humans out of hiding? Perhaps even Murphy could be in on this for all I knew. The only one I felt as though I could trust was Nisbeth, since if he wanted me dead, he could have killed me at his shack and disposed of the body.

"Could have sworn you did by the way you reacted. I guess some people are a little squeamish around such things. Any reason why you were curious?" He said, and it wasn't until now that I noticed he seemed a bit more attentive than before, as if he was sobering up really quickly. He still reeked of beer however, so maybe he was just masking how drunk he was.

"Like I said, real curious about human stuff in general. Also, since I heard they kill anyone they even suspect of being a human, I was just making sure that a couple of friends I have in Conviction were safe. One of them is really eccentric, and I was concerned they'd view that as being suspicious." I said, spewing a bunch of lies. He seemed to pay really closely to every word I said, nodding every once in a while, and I was wondering what he could be thinking.

"Who are they by the way? I can relay this information onto the authorities there to help make sure they're not in any danger." He said as I was taken aback. I instinctively shook my head at this, as I tried to divert the conversation as best I can.

"That'll not be necessary; they hate being watched like that. Besides, anyone could be part of the Pale Communion..." I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "... _Anyone_..."

"...You're smart to think that way. We're having difficulty trying to track down a member of this cult, so as far as we're concerned, it really could be anyone right now." He said before gathering his stuff. "Well, I'll be looking for somewhere to sleep. Will you be ok?" He asked as I nodded.

"Yeah, thanks for asking." I responded. This ampharos seemed to at least have some idea what was going on here, but I couldn't help but wonder whether I was arousing any suspicion or not. Would it be safe to ask if he knew what happened to Melinda? I _had_ to know, but it was likely just going to be a dead end, and if he was in league with the Pale Communion, I'd be giving myself away. No, I'd just lay low for now, it wasn't worth the risk that likely wouldn't pay off anyway.

"Well, have a good night then!" He said, before walking off into the darkness. I wondered where he might have been heading too on the way back to find Murphy as I saw that most of the crowd had dispersed.

"Ah, you're back. What were you speaking to Charlie about over there? Wanting to join the Excursion Club?" He asked as I shook my head.

"Nah. With me being as bad in combat as I am, that'd be suicide. Speaking of which, I just hope I can get home tonight." I said as Murphy thought for a moment.

"I'll walk you home in a bit; I'm way tougher than any feral savage in the bayou. Don't worry buddy, I'll keep you safe." He said as I thanked him. With almost everyone gone, I realised just how peaceful this place was as I sat down on the dry grass, staring out across the lake.

"See why this is one of my favourite places to be now?" Murphy asked me as I nodded. "It's even better with a nice breeze during the day. Been coming to this spot often ever since I was a child."

"As a child? How long ago was that? Y'know, given the whole ageing criteria on this continent." I said, chuckling slightly.

"About eight years old. Just a wonderful place to be to relax after a hectic day. Never thought doing all those exams would have tired me out so much, but stranger things have happened I guess." He said as I just listened to him ramble a bit as he sat down beside me.

"Say, what are you wanting to do now that you're an adult?" I asked as his face lit up.

"Oh, I forgot you tell you all about that!" He said, suddenly looking excited. "I want to be an actor and perform on stage at Newer Orleans! Maybe one day, I'll even get to work in Syrinx itself!" I must admit, it's not really what I expected him to say, but it was something to work for I guess. I was trying to imagine pokemon performing and acting in front of an audience, and while I'd never admit it to him, it seemed a bit silly to me. Still, I got used to the idea of pokemon having their own civilization pretty quickly, so I guess it was hardly unfeasible.

"Can you act?" I asked, hoping it didn't come across as rude. "Taken any drama classes or anything like...Murphy?" I asked as he suddenly shot me a nasty look, glaring at me with narrow slits for eyes and flashing a wild and savage looking grin.

"You really should not have said those words, Basil...that was just the last mistake of your life!" He growled before suddenly pushing me onto my back. I tried struggling to my feet in blind panic, but he had already pinned me down. I felt drool from his mouth land on my chest as he stared hungrily at me, cackling madly.

"I've always wanted to have the chance to taste a raw, wriggling mewostic, and now that no one can see us..." He said as he opened his mouth wide as I screamed in terror at my supposed friend about to savagely murder me on the spot. How can I use my psionic abilities to get out of this?! I saw him lunge for my throat as I braced myself for the agony that would be followed by my bloody death...but it never happened. Instead, I just heard him laugh in a high pitched and friendly manner as he got off me. To my right, I saw him in borderline hysterics before he composed himself and smiled at me.

"Pretty good actor, wouldn't you say?" He said, his grin still plastered on his face.

"Oh, fuck you Murphy! Never do that again!" I said, exasperated, though finding the entire affair pretty funny in hindsight. "Right, you proved your point."

"...Did you really think I'd hurt you like that Basil?" He asked as I stalled for a moment.

"Well...I couldn't be one hundred percent sure. I mean, I've only known you for a couple of days and whatnot." I said meekly, not looking at him in the eye as he looked a little let down. "Sorry, I just don't deal with the mere threat of physical confrontation well at all."

"I'm almost glad you don't; I could have been blasted if you were!" He said, chuckling slightly before looking around. "Well, I'm gonna hit the hay soon, so I'll walk you home." He started leading me away from Lakeside Park as we strolled beneath the willow trees on the path back to town. Well, I thought they were willows; they looked rather odd in the darkness, and being in a foreign world, maybe they were a different species. It was a shame I never had the chance to compare and contrast them, as it'd make this trip to the pokemon world even more interesting.

"See that frism that Charlie was playing to us?" He asked as we made our way through the mostly empty streets, only lit up by the occasional old fashioned lamppost on the corners. I nodded, as I started to become aware of the occasional pokemon wandering around at night. Any one of them could be a threat, and it made me feel very uneasy, since it'd be a lot easier to kill me and get away with it under the blanket of darkness.

"Yep; so, what did you think of it?" He asked as I thought for a moment. Well, I could just tell him roughly what I told that ampharos and everything should be fine.

"Oh, quite fascinating really. Still, it's pretty scary with the Pale Communion going around murdering them. Think we're odd enough to be suspicious?" I said, forcing a laugh to hide my terror.

"You'll be fine Basil, I know you're not one of them. Speaking of them, you said you were fascinated by the recording. Anything in particular?" He asked as we left the edge of town and made our way over the small hill towards the bayou.

"The humans themselves mostly. Visitors from another world, giving their gifts of wisdom and guidance from way out there...I'd do anything to meet one!" I said, my eyes glancing up to the stars above as they shone brightly in clusters and constellations that I did not recognize. Perhaps a local astronomer has marked out a star chart. I'd sure want a peek at that one day.

"Any idea what they'd be like?" He asked as I shrugged in response.

"No idea – that's why I want to find out. Maybe that bibarel is right though; maybe they are just like me and you. I'd imagine they'd be very wise if they brought civilization to us and were able to cross from another world." I said, feeling ever so slightly smug when I was talking up my own species, though what Murphy said next suddenly put me on edge.

"I don't trust them." He said suddenly, causing me to physically jerk in response. Thankfully, Murphy didn't notice this, but I felt as though he just stabbed me in the arm.

"Why not? Have they ever been seen doing anything bad?" I asked, trying my best to hide my shock and exasperation in my voice as I realised I had even more of a reason to keep it a secret.

"That lucario is right; we don't know what they want or why they're here. After all, they've been disguising themselves as pokemon lately, and they haven't been doing that until a few decades ago. It's almost like they have something to hide. Do you really think they brought civilization to us out of sheer kindness? Do you think they might have some other motive?" He said as I found myself subconsciously grinding my teeth in anxiety. Well, this friendship was a complete and total fabrication then since as far as I'm concerned, he befriended someone else, someone who he thought was me, rather than the one true Basil Squire. Looking at him, I tried my best not to sweat or show any fear or nervousness as I racked my brain for possible responses. Oh, how I struggled when life dealt me a wild card, and in this world, the decked was stacked with them!

"Well...I couldn't possibly know that. That is why I want to meet one and find out from them personally." I said as I sighed in relief in my mind. "So...any thoughts on the Pale Communion and the Humanistic church?" I continued, wanting to know exactly where Murphy stood. Right now, I was considering cutting ties with him, but since he was considered an adult now, he might be able to help me with stuff. I'd ask Nisbeth, but he seemed to be too much of a slob to do much.

"They're all cooyons! I mean, I get why the Pale Communion are so terrified of the humans, but it's like what Pierre said – that could only provoke them, and if they have the power to travel between worlds and stop mad deities if you believe the whole tale around The Sound Of Perseverance, then if they attacked, we'd surely all die. Dunno what those Humanistic church goes are doing with themselves though; it all seems like a waste of time." He said as I felt a little better that I knew where he stood with the whole human things. Regardless, it sounded like he actually empathized with those mass murderers more than the church from the way he spoke, so I decided that I wouldn't introduce him to my sister while I was here.

"Sounds like you're expecting the worst from them." I said, allowing subtle hints of disapproval to seep through without showing me to be too emotionally invested. I'm sure he had the best intentions and didn't show any sign of malice, but I wasn't sure I could stay friends with someone who thought my own species was a ticking time bomb. Regardless, I wasn't going to say no to being escorted home through this rancid swamp. The damp ground made the fur around my feet a little soggy as we made our way through, and on the way, I realised that it might actually be safer at night since the swamp's apex predators almost always hunted during the day. Regardless, I clung fairly close to Murphy as he guided me back to Nisbeth's shack, which was dimly illuminated by a candle burning weakly from the inside.

"Well, I'm off home now. Great seeing you, and thanks for helping me with the math. I'll see ya soon buddy!" Murphy said before dashing off, leaving me alone outside of the shack.

"Huh, that clown seems to have taken a liking to you." I heard Nisbeth say from behind as I turned round in surprise. "Regardless, how did the exam go?"

"Take a wild guess." I said, frowning slightly as I walked inside to sit down.

"Passed everything but the combat I'm guessing. I take it fighting isn't a human thing then?" He asked as I nodded slightly.

"Kind of. It's discouraged unless you're in a specific circumstance, and it's not celebrated and put in education systems like it is here. Usually when we do, we use tools and equipment to help us." I said casually, though in hind sight, the idea of pokemon developing weapons was a rather chilling thought.

"Tools?" Nisbeth said, not really understanding what I was getting at. I pondered this for a brief moment before I came across an interesting idea – if I had some kind of weapon, I could cheese the combat exam! I'd imagine there'd be a rule against bringing equipment in, but then again, if no one thought to ever bring one, then why would they think of banning it? It'd be worth a look into to be sure. Was it cheating? Only if they banned me.

"Uh, Basil? Are you in there?" Nisbeth said, noticing I was lost in thought. Bringing my mind back from its wander, I knew what had to be done. I needed to find some way to find or make a weapon. How could I do this? Well, a wander around town would help to look for anything I could use.

"Yeah...just tired." I said, resting my head on my pillow.

"Well, you'll likely be sent to school in a couple of days since you failed. I'm sure you'll learn how to fight like a pokemon there." He responded, trying to be understanding, but I wanted a quicker solution to my problems. It'll take months, even years to learn something like that, and each day that would come to pass could be either Melinda's last or my last. I was half tempted to just leave Serenity regardless whether I'm regarded as an adult or not, but could I even survive that fifty mile trek to Newer Orleans without sufficient weapons of fighting ability? Probably not.

"I'm sure I'll pass soon." I said quietly before falling asleep, dreaming of possible ways I could get my sister to know I was here. I could stay with calling myself 'The Fawlty Brush', which seemed to be the best I could do for now. I'd need to acquire paper to make these notices and put them around town, perhaps to arrange to meet at a certain spot. I could try that tomorrow, even though it was unlikely that Melinda would be in the very same town.

"Not until you've helped me fish. I'll take you into town during the mid-afternoon." Nisbeth declared as I sighed. I suppose I had to earn my way while I was here as I grudgingly helped him out. Seemed like I had gotten better since last time, and I was almost reeling in as many as Nisbeth himself as the barrels behind us started filling with dying, flailing fish. The sound of them flopping helplessly didn't deter me, since the quicker we filled these barrels, the more time I had to make notices and find or make weapons.

"Right, can we go now?" I said somewhat impatiently as Nisbeth nodded as we carried a barrel of fish each as we marched through the swampy path. Thankfully, my barrel was far smaller; there's no way I'd be able to carry Nisbeth's barrel being under half his size.

"I'll get you a mattress and a bit of money from the sales." Nisbeth said kindly as we left the bayou behind us and walked right into Serenity. "I'll also help set you up at school, since I technically count as your guardian when I get the time. Hopefully that'll be today."

"Hopefully? You said I'd be in school in a couple of days." I responded as I helped him set up his fish stall. Thankfully, the fish had all died by now, as I don't think there'd be many people wanting to buy a flopping straggler.

"I reckon I'll have sold them all by the time they close. Look, if the sundial hits four o'clock, I'll pack my stuff and get you set up." He said as he started calling out for potential customers in a fairly booming voice. Guess I had no more reason to stay here, so now was the time to take action. Seemed like the library was my first port of call to try and make some notices for Melinda if she was here.

"That'll be fifty cents." One of the librarians said as I handed over the antiqued looking coins as I took the ten sheets of paper from her. Now, what sort of notice can I make that wouldn't arouse too much suspicion? Well, I'm sure she could figure out who 'The Fawlty Brush' is, but how could I know it's her? Anyone could claim to know who I am, and when Melinda could theoretically be anyone in this world, I needed a way to filter the strangers out. Something only Melinda would know...well, she, like me, was also a huge Rush fan. Favourite song? Available Light. I'd get her to recite lyrics from that song.

 _If you know who 'The Fawlty Brush' is, meet me at the small bridge by the market square at 7 o'clock in the early evening today._

 _Once you see The Fawlty Brush, complete the pass-phrase below to find the available light:_

 _The restless wind has seen all things in every kind of light..._

Looking over what I wrote, this looked good to me. I just hoped this wouldn't look too suspicious to any of the wrong sort of people, but I couldn't think of a better way to get the message to her.

"I heard you failed spectacularly in the combat test." Someone said from behind me as I almost dropped the noticed I made out of surprise. "Why did you evolve without even mastering the basics of psionics?"

"Because I was sixteen at the time." I said, improvising more lies to the espurr that seemed to creep up behind me.

"How curious. Anyway, it seems like my dad will be helping you to not be so helpless. He said he's getting paid quite a lot by the school to do this for you, so I guess the principle really wants you to pass. Anyway, I'd be spending more time practising your abilities instead of being cooped up in here if it went as badly as people say." She said, her voice being very monotonous and dry.

"Seriously? I do badly in some school test and it becomes a conversation point for you lot? How humiliating..." I said dryly before looking over at the notes I made.

"What's that you're doing? More studying? As I said before, I think you're working in the wrong areas." She said as I grumbled.

"Yes, yes, I'll start trying psychic stuff when I learn the basics. I might end up exploding again or whatever." I said before walking out, wanting to end the conversation right there. Hopefully she wouldn't follow me, since I wanted to stick up these notices discreetly. Now, where would Melinda be if she was transported to this alien village in the body of a pokemon? Tourist information most likely, as I can see her taking to this bizarre nonsense better than I could. Why, it wouldn't surprise me if she thought of this as a holiday abroad!

"Well, it's more of a notice board, but it'll do." I muttered to myself as I pinned up my notice alongside the others. It seemed to fit right in alongside the messages of missing people and petty criminal wanted posters, so it probably wouldn't look too out of place aside from being rather cryptic. Other notices involved advertisements for events and destinations in and around Serenity, and while they looked mildly interesting, I hardly had the time to check them out short of Murphy showing up and dragging me to them.

Passing by the local bar, I'd put one up there, but this twenty-three year old is considered a child here, so that was out of the question. Guess the only other good place was the library. Sticking another notice up there, I would keep the other three for later. Looking at the local sundial, it was about time I returned to Nisbeth to get me enrolled in what I presumed to be a violent school, but if was the way of this world, then I'd need to learn their ways in order to stay alive.

"Think I'll get beat up at school?" I said to Nisbeth. I wasn't even sure how serious the question was, so I assumed Nisbeth had no idea either.

"Can't promise that, but I think you'll be fine." He said as he started leading me towards the school after selling his last fish.

"Might seem like an awkward question but why did you, ahem...'adopt' me?" I said, physically cringing at what I just said.

"Couldn't leave you to die like that. Besides, while I like my space by myself, life was getting rather boring. Also, since you're...you know, it makes life more exciting. Haven't been this invigorated for ten years, ever since the dream of being adventurer died." He said as he picked up the pace somewhat.

"What killed that career path for you?" I asked as he sighed sadly.

"I reckon I was born too late. The entire world's mapped out, there's no more secrets left to uncover. The great age of exploration is over Basil. I've seen it all in the newspapers, or to be more specific, the lack of care of information. All these explorers clubs are starting to die out now. Charlie Ampharos reported financial troubles, Bibarel over on Conviction had to make massive cuts, among other things. They're pretty much glorified crime-fighters and rescuers now, and to be blunt, I was never interested in being either of those things." He said, slowly sounding bitter over his little ramble.

"That's really too bad." I said, unsure how to respond to this, let alone find words to make him feel better. I felt really bad for him, since I'd imagine it'd be horrible to be made redundant before he even got a chance.

"Listen Basil; if there's one piece of advice I can give to my 'adopted son', is that sometimes, you've just got to make do with what you have." He said as I gave him a puzzled look.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I said firmly, lowering my eyebrows at him somewhat.

"Well, you've got to be ready for life not working out for you. Or to be more specific...Basil, what are your thoughts about this place?" He said as I was taken aback somewhat, not entirely sure what he was getting at.

"Well, it's, uh...interesting. Compared to home though...well, I don't want to remain here for more than a couple of months. There are folks home that are probably getting worried about Melinda and I by now." I said honestly as he sighed as he gave me a sympathetic look.

"Look, I was able to carve out a fairly comfortable life for myself. It's not what I originally wanted, but I thought I did well given life gave me a losing hand. Now I don't know much at all about your situation or what you're capable of as a you-know-what, but you might have to deal with the fact that you might never leave here." He said as I shook my head.

"That's not really on my agenda right now. Finding Melinda is." I replied, wanting to distract from the idea of staying in this world in the long term until it became a more pressing issue.

"About Melinda..." He said before I cut in.

"That, I will never give up on, even if it tears me limb from limb! I'll keep persevering, no matter how foolish it may seem! I'll keep searching until I find her, dead or alive! I couldn't live with myself if I gave up on that." I said, raising my voice slightly. "Seriously, this is a dangerous, foreign place, and I must know if she's still ok, even if it means risking my life."

"Well, it's admirable that you're not deterred, but just bear in mind that your single-minded determination could get you killed one of these days. If Melinda knew you were here, she'd probably be looking for you too. For both of your sakes, don't do anything that'd cause her to find you as a mangled corpse." He said as I stared into his eyes before backing off a bit. I had to admit, he was right in a way, but I refused to change my course. Regardless, I shouldn't get too reckless here, especially how I was very weak compared to the average pokemon here.

"Ah, you must be Basil's guardian!" I heard the principal say happily as she saw the two of us step into her office. "Glad to see you! I assume you're getting Basil signed up here."

"Yes indeed. Just go easy on him in regards to combat. He really is an absolute beginner, and I don't want to see him coming home in too many bruises." Nisbeth said as I turned to stare at him.

"'Too many' bruises!? I'd rather have non thanks!" I retorted haughtily before I was cut off.

"Relax Basil, we won't throw you too far into the deep end." The principal said before giving Nisbeth an application form. It looked quite simple, as I reached over to take it to fill it in myself.

"Says here the parent or guardian has to fill this out." Nisbeth said, keeping the application form out of reach.

"I'm an adult where I come from for fuck's sake!" I said suddenly, my anger getting the better of me. "Sorry you two, but I'm sure you can empathize with my frustration here."

"I get it..." Nisbeth said, trailing off as he filled in my details. Standing on the chair, I watched him like a hawk, making sure he got every single correct.

 _Name: Basil._

Good thing he only used my first name, since it seems like the pokemon here use their species as their surname. Calling me 'Basil Squire' would have been a dead giveaway

 _Species: Meowstic_.

Obviously, even if I was only once recently.

 _Home town: Chaud Town, Conviction._

I never even heard of that town, but I'll take it.

 _Time spent in State Broussard: Four days_.

Pretty sure it wasn't as long as that, but it wouldn't matter.

 _Age: 23_

...That idiot! He's exposed me!

"Er, Nisbeth, are you thinking of someone else? I'm eighteen, remember?" I said, trying my best to save the situation, but the principal was already giving us an intense stare. Upon realising what he done, that dumbfuck of a toxicroak fumbled the application form in shock and shame.

"Come to think of it, you look _really_ old for someone who's supposedly only eighteen. By any chance, did you lie about your age to avoid being deported?" She asked me as I shook my head so vigorously that it almost hurt.

"No, of course not!" I stated as I breathed in and out deeply through my teeth, praying that the klutzy Nisbeth would continue making a good cover for me.

"Sorry, was distracted from what I heard on the news today. I have a cousin in Newer Orleans who's also called Basil, and when I heard of a few people mysteriously disappearing today, I got worried. He was the twenty-three year old I was thinking about." Nisbeth said as I tried to stop myself from shuddering in fear, although it was clear I was very unsuccessful at that. The principal kept staring at us, and just before it was starting to drive me crazy, she finally spoke.

"...I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Besides, it's a stupid law. Ok Basil, we'll see you here...hmm, will tomorrow be ok? I'll give you up to a week if you-" She said before I cut her off, still feeling like I was on the edge of a high cliff.

"Tomorrow's good. Yes, tomorrow. Right Nisbeth?" I replied, my speech and word choice still being slurred somewhat. I forced a smile and tried to calm myself after what I presumed was a very narrow escape, though my panic still radiated from me strongly, even after it was confirmed I wouldn't be deported. Nisbeth nodded and handed the application form in.

"Ok, see you tomorrow at half past nine!" She said merrily as she looked over everything and confirmed it was all good. We left quickly afterwards, and after the anxiety subsided, I shot daggers through my eyes right at Nisbeth, growling somewhat at him.

"That was _way_ too close! You almost got me booted out of the continent there!You careless cunt!" I said, my voice becoming somewhat shrill, albeit not too loud as to not be overheard by anyone.

"Aw, forgive me Basil, please! It was an accident! I just forgot for a split second, I swear on my life I didn't mean it!" He said, looking ashamed and guilty as he lowered his head slightly. "I'm sorry Basil, I feel horrible for that lapse in focus."

"Well don't do it again, got it?! I can't afford to arouse more suspicion than I absolutely need to!" I said firmly and angrily in a hoarse whisper.

"Hey, we got away with it though." He said, trying to get us to calm down, but I wasn't having any of it.

"Yes, but only because of an absolute miracle! Just think what you could have...ugh, getting angry at you won't change anything, and I suppose you're right. Just be careful from now on, ok? To think if you really did become an adventurer of some kind; a lapse in concentration like that could have gotten you killed!" I said, venting the rest of the steam I held within myself.

"Well, nothing bad happened, so no harm, no foul. Anyway, are you wanting to return home now? If not, I'll stay with you to do what you want – I owe you at least that much." He said, still looking very guilty.

"I'll take you up on that offer actually, as I'll be looking for something before I'll need escorted home." I said before looking at my surroundings. A 'weapon' is such a broad term here, and it could mean anything from using a kitchen knife to a makeshift gun. Could I just bring a knife to the exam and stab them? Probably not, I could risk killing the examiner and getting arrested, but for any trek through a dangerous part of this world, which was pretty much everywhere outside of a town, it could prove useful.

"What exactly are you looking for Basil?" Nisbeth asked after ten minutes of wandering around.

"Something that can help with the combat exam, then I'll be waiting at the bridge at just before seven." I said, not making eye contact with him as I was still looking around as I walked through the streets. They seemed to have basic tools, but none of them would make for effective weapons aside from a knife, which I could probably convince Nisbeth to let me borrow. Walking swiftly around the edges, I noticed a few farm patches with many crops I didn't recognize, but by far the strangest one I saw was littered with warning signs telling the people not to step on the field. Was this because the farmer was violent and paranoid, or was it a sort of minefield?

"I heard those 'crops' are dangerous." Nisbeth said, looking over at them from the safety of the tall fence.

"Poisonous?" I asked as he shook his head.

"Explosive, if you can believe that. Well, that's what the farmer there claimed, but she was always a bit of a loon." He replied as I began to ponder this. Could these plants be fashioned into a weapon somehow? I had to ask the farmer!

"I've already checked in with the police, and they said these 'blasting plants' were perfectly legal, so stop bothering me!" I heard a kooky voice say within the small house at the edge of the field.

"I was just wondering about the blasting plants and what they could be used for." I said from the other side of the closed door as I heard her scurry around from the inside as if she was desperately trying to hide or find something.

"Look, I'll get to you when I figure that out! Now buzz off!" She yelled frantically, and looking at the sundial outside her house, I saw that I didn't have time to start persuading her. I could try that another day, since I needed to be at the bridge soon to see if Melinda would show up.

"Ok, sorry if it sounds like I'm exploiting you a bit here, but I need one last favour today. Could you stand about over there and keep an eye on me just in case anything goes wrong? Don't make yourself look too suspicious or vigilant. See, if Melinda's here in this town, she'll get my message. I just don't want the wrong person answering my call, so if they get pushy, help me out, would ya?" I asked as he nodded. I felt kind of bad for taking advantage of his guilty state, but if he was willing to help, I wasn't going to turn him down.

My mouth started turning dry as I stood by the bridge, watching the water flow beneath me in the twilight, before looking back to the town, then back to the water. Please Melinda, you had to be here! Would you be a meowstic just like me, or would you be something else entirely. I did little jogs on the spot to vent the excess adrenaline and impatience as I saw a few people pass me by on the bridge, but eventually, someone did stop as soon as they saw me. It was a monferno, and it stared at me for a few seconds before joining me on the bridge, clearly curious about who I was.

"So, are you The Fawlty Brush then?" She said as I nodded. I wanted to get excited and believe it was my sister, but I had to remain at least somewhat composed. What if this stranger was just wanting to know about this mysterious person using an alias? Well, time for the lyric test then!

"Well, I'll answer that if you can tell me what words follow this: The restless wind has seen all things in every kind of light..." I said, as I found myself smiling widely, but my smile soon faded as a look of confusion spread across her face.

"Uh...what? Er, anyway, I'm assuming you're The Fawlty Brush, which, by the way, is spelt with a U, not a W." She said to me, telling me it was certainly not my sister. I couldn't hide my disappointment as my body slumped after it got so worked up and excited. "Why are you going by such a name? Are you some kind of secret agent or something? Are you a human? Is this to do with the strange disappearances that have been happening lately?"

"Neither, and disappearances you say? First time I heard of them." I said, but the monferno didn't look too impressed.

"So why are you setting up this secret meet up, which it clearly is. Passwords and code-names...I think you know what's going on here, don't you." She said, a stern frown creeping across her face as I took a step back. "Some real strange stuff has happened over the past few months. People claiming that they're human in greater frequencies, people vanishing off the face of the planet. Now, I know what you're thinking – these humans must be responsible, right? You're dead on, Mewostic. Most of the people here wouldn't believe this, but we are in the middle of a secret war. These humans aren't what most people think they are, and if left unchecked, they'll be the end of us. If you ever find one of those vile monsters, tell me, won't you?"

"...Sure, I'll do that." I said slowly as I froze my body still, trying to wipe as much of the terror as I could. She didn't know it, but she'd have me dead in a heartbeat if she knew the truth! I couldn't be seen to be too afraid, or she'd suspect something! I already made myself suspicious enough as it is! "...Are you part of the Pale Communion?" I asked quietly as she looked around to make sure no one was there before giving a brief nod.

"Don't mention it again; the police can't find out, and we won't be of any use to the cause in prison. They don't realise that we're at war, and are currently in the grasp of the humans, but we'll free them soon, won't we?" She said, staring right into my eyes.

"Of course." I said, faking my confidence to appease her.

"Excellent. We'll meet again, 'Fawlty Brush.'" She said as I saw her walk back into town. I kept my eyes on her, just to make sure she was heading away until she vanished into the streets before giving a heavy sigh of relief. I'd better keep an eye on my lucky stars, since I think I must have expended two that day, but it did prove a dark fear of mine – the enemy operated even in this peaceful town. No doubt, the Pale Communion was everywhere, and nowhere was safe or Melinda or the rest of the surviving humans here. If that monferno kept being interested in me, she'd probably find out eventually. I can't let that happen; I can't stay in Serenity for much longer. For the sake of my own life, I decided that if I can't pass within seven days, I'd leave and make the trek for Newer Orleans, even if I had to do it alone and unprotected. I'd find a way with the restrictions of being a child if I had to, as difficult as it would be.

Regardless, I had to look at the cards I had been dealt with and see what I could make of them. I had Nisbeth on my side, who knew who I was and seemed to genuinely care about me as a friend. His knowledge of the world would be vital. I had Murphy, though I can't imagine him being quite as reliable. I now feel pretty sure than Melinda isn't in Serenity. I had school training tomorrow and for the next few days, so perhaps I could be a little less defenceless soon. Sadly, this was about it, but thinking about Melinda and our miracle run through the nationals, I was able to map out victories for her through impossible situations. Somehow, I knew there had to be some way to make at least a drop of lemonade from this pile of lemons life dealt me.

It's just a great shame that the price is likely death for failure now.


	8. The Weapon

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 8: The Weapon

After waiting a few tentative moments to make sure that the Pale Communion member was truly gone, I decided to rejoin Nisbeth, who had been watching me carefully the entire time. I was very glad he was there, as things could have gone truly dire if she ever thought I was a human for a second.

"Want to go home now?" I said as Nisbeth gestured me to tell me more as I shook my head. "Not until we're out of town." I whispered just loudly enough for him to hear, and it seemed like he got the message. The sun set behind us as we left town and walked the path between the fields en route back to the bayou, and as soon as it was clear that it was just us two, I decided to speak up.

"That monferno – she's part of the Pale Communion. They're here!" I said, fear being etched upon my voice as Nisbeth responded with an equally horrified face.

"Maude?! I would have never thought for a second she'd...I was really hoping they wouldn't have been able to infect Serenity with their dangerous paranoia." He replied, looking almost as worried as I was, and I began to understand why. I could tell that the locals might be starting to get suspicious of me in general, and if even one of them suspects I'm a human, they could tell people and it'll spread like wildfire. It'd only be a matter of time until Maude would find out, as well as any friends she might have, and once that happens...well, my time in either world would suddenly be shortened dramatically. Aside from my own peril, how would they react to Nisbeth sheltering a human? Would they see him as an enemy? Could he be in danger too? He was too kind to me this entire time; I really can't endanger him like this after all he's done for me.

"Nisbeth, you've been golden to me ever since we got here. Well, aside from the whole age thing, but it was an accident. Anyway, if I can help it, I really don't want the Pale Communion to be after you too. You've been the one person here that I know I can rely on, and, well, I consider you a good friend. I'd really hate for anything to happen to you, so if you think that having me around puts you in danger, I won't feel bad if you cut all ties with me." I said sadly, choosing to just be upfront about this to him.

"Look, I might be a slob, but it's like when I first found you being hunted by that swampert – I couldn't live with myself if I just let you die. Besides, I don't think they'll target me, as I doubt they'll ever know that I know you're not from around here, not to mention it's feeding me a bit more excitement into my life. I never knew how much I missed this from my younger days...heh, I just wonder how much this quiet swamp fisherman's lifestyle I'll enjoy." Nisbeth said, clearly wanting to return the subject back to more cheerful stuff, but I wasn't quite done yet.

"So, if shit goes south, can I rely on you to have my back?" I asked. I felt a bit guilty loading this request onto him that could potentially endanger him, but I fully intended to return this favour in any way I could.

"Of course Basil. You've been the most interesting thing to happen to me in almost ten years. Do you think I'll be willing to let you go like that?" He said, grinning slightly as I smiled back.

"I'll look out for you too, even if I can't do much." I said as I went to pat his back, which was a little awkward as I only stood as high as his waist. The stench of the swamp didn't seem as bad as it used to, though that was probably due to my nostrils getting destroyed by it. Regardless, staying here got easier over time, especially with the small mattress that Nisbeth took home. I now had something that actually resembled a bed! Never thought I'd ever take something like that for granted.

"Think I'll do fine at school tomorrow?" I asked, as I realised I felt more accepting that I'd need an education here, even at the age of twenty-three.

"Who knows? I can't tell how a human will adapt." He said as he poured me some fish soup, which I greedily ate up with haste. Hardly the best I've had, but it filled me up just fine.

"Well, guess I'll just have to find out, won't I." I said as I rested my body on the mattress, realising it was the only way forward tomorrow. Perhaps they wouldn't throw me too far in the deep end tomorrow, but from what I knew of the culture here, I had a feeling that tomorrow would be a rough day.

"Goodnight Basil, and good luck." He said kindly as he blew out the torches before climbing into his own bed. Strange dreams flooded my head throughout that entire night, each of them more tense than the last. Bizarre dreams of playing my keyboard while trying to teach Nisbeth and Murphy how to play bass and drums respectively was fun, but it reminded me how hard it could be for me to learn how to fight. More sinister dreams involved me fleeing through a dense forest as I saw the shifting, distorted faces stare at me from behind, accompanied by the cries for my blood. There was no doubt about it – that would be the way I would die if they ever find out who I am.

Morning came before my dreams got too freaky as I was awoken by the smell of fish stew. In hind sight, I was glad I was such a big fish eater, or life here might be even more of a struggle. Eating with Nisbeth, I soon found myself full and ready to face my first day at this school. Never dreamt I'd be back in education, but I had been wrong about many things before.

"I expect you to help me fish after you're done for the day. I'll take you home just outside the bayou when you're done. Don't be late, and head straight here." Nisbeth said to me as we left the swamp.

"Sure, see you then." I said as I left him behind, watching him re-enter the swamp. By now, I had memorized the layout of Serenity in enough detail to find my own way around, but as peaceful as this place seemed, I knew I couldn't stay here for too much longer for more than one reason. A part of me would actually miss this place, but it would hardly be enough for me to get nostalgic once my trip here was over.

"Ah, Basil, good to see you!" The principal said while directing me to a seat among the other pupils. They all looked several years younger than me, and none of them had evolved beyond their first forms, making me look very out of place. I sheepishly sat down next to a young looking goomy who looked no older than eight years old. Curiously, the principal didn't make me introduce myself, which I appreciated, though it didn't stop me from getting a couple of funny looks from about half the students.

"Ok then...Sydney, Clyde and Josephine, you're with me. Jake, you're with Mr Farfetch'd, and Basil, you're with Mr Meowstic." The watchog said, clearly wanting to get the registration formalities out of the way quickly. I was directed to a rather sleepy looking Meowstic who looked about ten to fifteen years older than I did. He quickly looked through his notes, running a finger along them before looking up at me

"You must be Basil. Forgive me if my teaching isn't too up to standard; I've not really taught anyone about psionics. My only child was taught by my wife due to the differences between the males and females." He said, his speech slurring somewhat as he quickly drank some of his coffee. Well, this didn't seem like a promising start, and if this was any indicator, I'd likely remain defenceless without a weapon of some kind. "So, you're actually claiming you're an absolute beginner at this?"

"Yes, so we'll need to start at square one. I suppose this is uncommon among the evolved species in our family." I replied, feeling a little sheepish. "Do I flick my ears up, or-"

"No!" He interrupted with urgency. "Revealing the other eyes is very dangerous and it could cause great pain or even death if you can't control it. No, I'll keep things real simple for you. Ok, where exactly to start..." He muttered as the meowstic looked around. If it wasn't clear that he wasn't a proper teacher before, it was now as I saw him try to influence a lesson.

"Well...let's start with some simple psychokinesis, shall we? You do know what that is, right?" He asked as I nodded.

"Yeah, moving stuff with your mind." I answered as I saw him put a small pebble he found on the ground on a table in front of us.

"Ok, now hopefully within two hours, you will be able to push this off the table." He said as I felt a bit of dread linger in me. Even if I could, there'd be no way I could use any of my abilities for effective combat unless I learn how to fling pebbles with my mind with enough speed to hurt people with. I'd need to learn much faster than this!

"Right, so how do I start?" I asked as I held out my hand in the direction of the pebble and stared at it intensely. Needless to say, I felt like a bit of a pillock right now.

"Ok, can you feel the psionic plane around the stone?" He asked as I tried my best to feel something, yet it just wouldn't come to me. "...Can you feel it at all?" He asked again, this time with a deadpan expression.

"Sorry, I can't." I admitted, feeling completely clueless. Watching him sigh, he planted his face into his palm as he shook his head.

"You really are like a newborn...what were your parents thinking letting you get through life without learning and experiencing the absolute basics, let alone letting you evolve..." He said, his ranting descending into a mumble before he looked apologetic. "...Sorry, shouldn't ramble like that. It's, uh, not very professional. Ok, I'll try to get you to find the part of our brain that allows us to access the psionic field – the absolute first thing we learn. Normally, we learn this when we're two years old...pretty much abusive to let an espurr grow without-sorry, I'll stop."

"It's fine, but I'd like to learn as efficiently as possible. Ranting about my parents doesn't exactly achieve that you know." I said, smiling slightly as I tried searching through my mind for something out of place.

"Ok, you might be able to feel it near the top of your brain, but a small distance over to the left. Now don't try to feel it with your hands, obviously, but it's not purely mental either. Rather, it's like a half-way between." He said, trying to be more understanding. Racking my brain in this manner felt very strange, but I swore there were a couple of times where I felt something for a split second. During those tiny snippets in time, my surroundings all felt rather strange, and I wondered if this was the psionic organ within the brain of certain species of pokemon that allowed them to have these strange abilities.

"Yep, that's it Basil. Now try to remain focused on that part of your brain. Over time, that'll become second nature to the point that it takes no effort." He instructed as I was able to lock onto this strange organ and keep my focus there. The world around me started feeling strange and alien, yet it was a world that I understood beyond more than any plane of existence I may have inhabited in my life before. It was like I could feel my entire surroundings with a sixth sense, and it reminded me of how I experienced the world when I opened up my ears.

"I think I've found it. Am I feeling the psionic plane?" I asked, trying to keep my focus in it.

"Well, you may be a complete novice, but it doesn't seem like you'll have any defects so far, which is promising." He said, smiling slightly as he diverted my attention towards the rock. "Now, I'll need you to try and feel the pebble here in the psionic plane. Judge the distance and size of the pebble, and you should be able to feel it. Now this could be tricky for you, so don't beat yourself up if you can't-"

"Already got it." I said, interrupting him as I felt parts of its shape with the psychic part of my brain. The round pebble felt a little jagged rather than smooth, even if I wasn't physically touching it. I was able to focus my concentration on it by raising my arm towards it, pointing it in the direction of the pebble, and doing so allowed me to get a better 'grip' of it.

"Ah, you must be good at judging distance then. Well, if you think you have a grip of it, then now comes the last step. With the grip you have, you can try to push the object forwards, but remember to keep a hold of it at all times." He said, as I tried to carry out his instructions, but this proved to be tricker than expected, as I was essentially trying to do three things at one time: making sure I could access the psionic plane, keeping a grip on the rock, and pushing said rock.

"It's giving me a headache...ow..." I muttered as I tried to keep focus. It wasn't quite clicking with me, but I still felt the pebble being pushed millimetre by millimetre as I tried to keep going. The uncomfortableness started to become flat out painful. "Argh...AGH!" I screamed as I put all of my remaining focus into giving it one last push as I fell to my knees, clutching my head.

"Be careful Basil, don't strain yourself too much! That being said..." He said, picking up the stone off the ground, smiling at me. "You did this far quicker than I imagined. Now, I think you should have a quick rest before we continue." The rest of the two hour session went surprisingly well, and he praised me for my swift learning. Seemed like once I got a hang of the core concepts of the psionic field, manipulating it felt almost like second nature. Regardless, I wasn't remotely skilled enough to be able to use it for any real offensive purposes, but it was progress at least. I tried to hide it, but I felt giddy with excitement being able to do things that were completely impossible in a human body, such as briefly levitating pieces of paper, and causing a couple of weak-looking leaves to fall from a nearby tree.

"Looks like you're having fun." The meowstic said, chuckling after I managed to lift that pebble into the air for a second.

"Yeah, this is actually pretty fun, albeit headache inducing and exhausting." I said, cracking a smile.

"Well, we might be able to move onto more combat-related abilities and techniques soon if you keep this up." He said, looking happy for me. "Well, I'll let you go now. I noticed that in a couple of days, you'll be going on a trip up that hill behind me with a couple of the other students. I remember going up there; it sure was exciting."

"Is it dangerous?" I asked as he chuckled slightly.

"Nothing too bad. Got scratched quite badly by a savage raticate when I was an espurr, but nothing too bad." He said as my confidence took a nose dive.

"Oh no..." I said quietly to myself as I took my leave. The meowstic looked rather pleased with himself as I walked out of the school grounds as I made my way home. Taking a detour, I swung by that field with those strange, and supposedly explosive plants, wanting to find out more about them. Could I fashion these into a weapon somehow? While I was impressed by my progress, I knew it wouldn't be enough for me to pass the combat test next week. I needed a shortcut, and watching the farmer outside, a rhydon, I started dreaming of the answers to my problem. If I could somehow get a sample of these plants and test how explosive they really are, I could perhaps make them into a weapon. Hopefully, it would be powerful enough to hurt my examiner without killing them; getting arrested and imprisoned for murder would be a huge setback after all.

"Hey, how are those plants doing? Mind if I have a look at some point?" I asked as I looked at the strange, almost red crops. They curled in many different direction as they reached up towards the blazing star above, roughly to the same height I was.

"No! They're dangerous, and they're mine! Go away!" She yelled frantically as she cut one of the biggest ones at the lower part of the stalk, clearly being very careful. Seems like there would be no way to convince her – I'd just have to steal one tonight and make sure that I don't get caught. Walking back towards the swamp, I overheard a conversation between two worried looking strangers, huddled together at the corner of the street.

"...Louis still hasn't come back yet?! Where could he be?! He's a real tough one, so I doubt a savage could have got him." A rather repulsive looking paplitoad said, his voice wavering in anxiety.

"I reckon he's been gone for five days now." The braixen said, her voice being somewhat quieter. "You know what they've been saying lately – strange disappearances all over the world. What if he vanished too?"

"Don't go saying things like that! No...I'm sure that rugged golduck is just fine. He'll be back this week, surely." The paplitoad responded, clearly looking like the more optimistic of the two. How curious; it seemed like there were also disappearances in this world too. Maybe I wasn't so far from home after all! Although, if The Guardian of Forever was summoning humans to deal with a threat, according to Melinda, then perhaps this was said threat. Regardless, we had absolutely nothing to do with this! Perhaps Melinda and I could make him suffer for indirectly getting those other humans killed before we go home!

Before walking off, I noticed the stick pointing out of the braixen's tail. Their species used weapons, but it was only them and their evolved kind that could use these strange wands with any degree of efficiency. Regardless, I'd certainly like a close look at one of them to see what I could learn. Perhaps I could even learn how to use one somehow, though it was a bit of a long shot. Maybe she kept one or two spare I could borrow?

"Nice wand, where did you get it?" I asked her after the paplitoad parted ways. She turned to look at me with a look of confusion whist hiding a mild frown on her face.

"...Is that how they chat up people in Conviction?" She asked as one of her eyebrows raised themselves in curiosity and disapproval.

"Chat you up? Don't flatter yourself Braixen – the question was literal." I replied in a similar dry tone. "Just being curious."

"Fashioned from a specific type of tree. Has to be _very_ resistant to fire in order for it to work well, or it just ends up burning up in your hands. Even then, they need replaced every few months. Why are you wanting to know anyway?" She asked as I shrugged. Well, seems like they're made just how those foxes make them back home.

"Just wondering, since it always bothered me whenever I saw one. Where are the trees you make them from anyway? If they're nearby and you're not too busy, mind quickly showing me?" I asked as she giggled,

"Look, if you wanted to ask me out on a date, just ask. On the other hand, asking in such a hilariously bad round-about way is actually really cute – just like you. Well, I'm busy for the rest of the day, so meet me here at three-thirty tomorrow and we'll go there. Don't be late!" She said happily, winking at me before walking off. Holy shit. Seems like at the age of twenty-three, I finally got my first date. And it was with a fucking pokemon. HEEEEELLLLPPP!

Regardless of how uncomfortable things got, I knew that I needed to explore all options when it came to arming myself. I knew that their kind could channel their psionic abilities through that wand, and if I could get her to tell me exactly how they're built, how they work and how to use them, it could become the weapon I needed.

"What took you Basil? I've been standing around here for half an hour waiting for you!" Nisbeth said, looking a little cross when I met him at the edge of the swamp.

"Just hunting for a weapon so that you don't have to protect me through th-watch out!" I suddenly shrieked as I pointed to a feraligator that was almost upon us. It must have been hiding in the swampy waters, since it seemed like it came out of nowhere, but for as big and intimidating it seemed, Nisbeth still made very short work of it. He didn't even take a scratch as he sent the large blue pokemon packing, and looked rather pleased with himself.

"I did train for a while to become an adventurer. I still remember all the techniques." He said as he smiled, taking me back to the shack. We begun fishing again, trying to get as many as possible to sell tomorrow, and I had become quite good at this by now.

"Today was good. Got the core basic ideas of using my powers down, hatched a plan to steal some explosive plants and I'm having a date with a braixen. Yeah, after that dose of strangeness, I think I actually want to just fish for a while to let this all sink in. Oh, I suppose I should elaborate..." I said, explaining the details so the last two points didn't sound so bad.

"Now if I were to have an honest guess, I'd say you were much uglier as a human." Nisbeth said, teasing me as I ground my teeth slightly.

"Let's...just fish, ok?" I said, wanting to divert from the awkwardness of getting the attention of a non-human and planning a crime. I guess if this is what it took to shortcut my exam, get my adulthood identification card, having the means to defend myself in this world and finding Melinda, then so be it.

"Look, I'm not exactly going to involve myself in theft. I can't help you out there, and this all seems a bit rash. Are you sure you don't want to rethink this? I mean, you could get hurt or get in trouble with the police." He said as I looked over at him.

"Can't be more painful than being attacked by a savage, and I'll just take a few from the far side of the field. He'll probably not even notice that they're gone, and besides, I might be able to examine them more closely now that I get the gist of the psionic plane." I said, determined to not let go of any of the possible weapons I could obtain.

"You've only been studying it for half a day. I reckon you should give it a rest." Nisbeth said, frowning slightly, but I was having none of it.

"Nisbeth, I'm desperate here. I wouldn't descend myself to petty crime and mock dates if I didn't have several people here regard me with suspicion. At this rate, I could die if one of those Pale Communion cunts think I'm a human. Why, I'm almost surprised that no one else but you ever thought of that by now." I said as Nisbeth sat down and put his attention back towards the fishing.

"Well, do what you think is right. Still..." Nisbeth said, sighing sadly as he pulled in the net full of fish. "...I'll miss you. Just not enough to deal with the cops if you bring them here, so, uh, make absolutely sure you're not seen, ok?"

"Don't worry, I won't." I said, reassuring him as I kept fishing into the evening, bringing in a mighty load of fish. Naturally, we cooked one for ourselves while they were fresh, as we began to get into the thick of night, I made plans to set out into town once more.

"Think you can make it through the bayou alone?" He asked as I recoiled at the idea.

"I'll get eaten for sure!" I retorted, my voice becoming high pitched and a little squeaky.

"You surely know the way by now, and the big predators only come out in the day. You'll be fine Basil, and you'll need to learn this stuff sooner or later." He said as I scoffed at him slightly.

"Ah, the old sink or swim teaching method. How brutal. Well, it's not like we've been attacked at night, so...ok, but if I get attacked, I'm not fishing for you until I leave Serenity, ok?" I said, and it seemed like Nisbeth understood.

"Well, hope you have better luck than I do." Nisbeth said, seeing me outside. Thankfully, he stayed with me for a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, and as a result, the swamp felt less oppressive. Well, I'll be as ready as I'll ever be!

My pace soon quickened to a fearful run, each and every croak or crunch making my head spin round to where I heard it. Come on Basil, just keep moving swiftly along the path – you can make it! My breathing hastened as I almost expected another swampert or feraligator to appear and give me another chase for my life, but yet, nothing appeared. Maybe Nisbeth was right; maybe the swamps weren't dangerous at night. It's something I really should know, but actually being there put a whole new perspective on things.

The town seemed to be almost empty, which suited me fine as I made my way to the supposed explosive plant field. I tried to not draw attention to myself, although there were a couple of strangers who stared at me, regardless my efforts. Thankfully, I didn't see them follow me as I found the field, and much like the streets, it seemed to be unoccupied. That being said, I doubted it would be as simple as climbing over the low fence and taking a few of them. Given how crazy and paranoid the farmer was, I pretty much expected him to lay traps. My suspicions proved to be well founded, as I saw a very basic tripwire system, with bells attached to them to act like alarms. While it didn't look like it'd even work, I'm sure it was with in my to not touch them by mistake, but with stubbier limbs when compared to my human form, this proved a bit trickier than I expected.

"Keep it together Basil..." I muttered to myself as I stepped over a hard to see wire,putting me in range for picking a few of them, but given how big they were, carrying them over would be harder. After carefully uprooting two of the strange things, I faced the tripwire in front of me. Resting each one over my shoulder, I took one big step over and then fell forward almost immediately as my balance gave way.

"Ah, fuck." I muttered as I bashed my head against the fence, though, thankfully, the crops themselves seemed to be ok. It was still too early to tell, but they didn't seem all that volatile, but I most certainly wanted to keep these things away from fire. I thought I was free as soon as I cleared the fence, but I heard a sudden, urgent rustle from the nearby bushes, and these plants alone couldn't be used to fight against whatever that was.

"...Who goes there?" I asked, trying to keep my voice down as to not wake anyone else. I stared deeply into the darkness, my eyes prying for any visible shape that I could make out, but I couldn't quite make anything out. I slowly backed off, one careful footstep at a time, as I started to wonder whether I even wanted to know what it was. Suddenly, out of the void, something jumped out and landed right in front of me, being about one and a half times my height, and now that it was close to me, I recognized it as a wartortle. Was it friendly, nasty or outright savage? I couldn't quite tell. It stared at me in return for a few seconds before speaking.

"You're not one of them, are you?" It spoke slowly, taking time over each word as if it wasn't very good at English. His voice was deep, albeit not booming, and it was clear he wasn't a native English speaker. Thinking back, his accent didn't sound Norwegian or Swiss either, and if I were to have a guess, I'd say he sounded Russian.

"'Them'? ...No, I'm not. Are you?" I asked, still not sure what he was on about.

"Good. I think I got away...don't tell anyone I was here. I almost got killed by them." He said, his voice still tripping over the English words a bit. By now, it was obvious his accent was Russian, and since none of the civilizations were set up by Russians, and given The Guardian of Forever was summoning national champions, not to mention he was recorded as being missing about a week before Melinda was...

"Danil?!" I said in the loudest whisper possible. "Is that you?!" Our eyes widened in shock simultaneously as we stared each other in the eye. We had never actually met each other, but it was obvious that he felt the same that I did right now – that we were no longer alone.

"I have no idea who you are, but please, come here!" He announced before hugging me tightly. "You're not one of them, but you are one of _them!_ " Danil let me go before trying to regain his cool, and kept looking around him, as if we were being watched. Given the circumstances, we couldn't be too careful.

"You're the first..." I said quietly before looking around, making absolutely sure that no one else was anywhere nearby. "...The first human I've met since being summoned here. The name's Basil Squire, I'm Melinda Squire's sister. She was summoned here a day before I was."

"Ah, Melinda. I battled her once when I was training against a bunch of European opponents. She's a big fan of me as you probably already know. I must admit though; even though she wasn't very good when I had a practice battle against her, it looked like she was really turning it around in the British Isles tournament. I saw her get to the quarter finals, but then I was taken to this world. How far did she get?" He asked, and while this information might have been trivial to our current circumstances, it did wonders for soothing our nerves and helped us feel like we were closer to home.

"The finals. She got completely destroyed by Omar since she decided not to follow my underhanded and dishonourable tactics, such as poisoning and just running away to wear them down. The crowd always hate that, but that doesn't matter at all to me. According to some high ranking nutcase of a cop, she was the first non-national winner to be summoned here. I'm not even a trainer, so it seems like our kidnapper is getting erratic. Have you found any trace of him or Melinda yet?" I asked as he shook his head.

"You're the only human I've found. I heard there were other humans here, but never found any. Or maybe I have, but they didn't admit it, and with that cult around trying to kill us, I can see why people wouldn't admit it." Danil said, still looking over his shoulder. "Listen, the Pale Communion know I'm a human. If they don't know about you yet, I should really stay away from you."

"But what will you do? They'll find and kill you eventually. Please, come with me – I know of a tough local who knows I'm human and despises these pale cunts. There's a lot of stuff I want to do here: find Melinda, see the Pale Communion destroyed and beat the shit out of The Guardian of Forever. The Pale Communion have already killed many of us, but our summoner enabled all this to happen. As far as I'm concerned, he is an enemy of our entire species; we can't just stand by and do nothing about this!" I said firmly, hoping I could enlist his help, but it seemed like he had other ideas.

"Didn't he tell you that he was summoning humans to stop a crisis? He didn't have time to tell me the details as he said he was on the run, but I don't think he's evil or anything like that." He replied as he left me with a shocked look.

"Of course he's evil! This crisis had nothing to do with us! How would you feel if you were kidnapped by the Venezuelans and forced to be a soldier to fight in their war that you had nothing to do with?! I don't care about this world! I care about mine! I care about the people close to me, and given the situation, I consider all humans here a friend of mine. Please, Danil, don't throw your life away. We need to stay together. Alone, I am weak. I can barely fight at all! How about you?" I asked as he looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Well, I learned enough to pass the adulthood exam and it helped me to fend off those cult members. Are you struggling?" Danil asked as I nodded in embarrassment.

"Seems like you took to it better than I did. Anyway, I can't make you stay with me, but I understand why you wouldn't. I think the people here are suspicious enough as it is, and having a non-native accent speaking around me would only make things even more dicey. Well, what will you do now?" I asked as he answered straight away.

"I'll find The Guardian of Forever and find out exactly what he wants us to do. That is why we are here after all." He responded as I had to stop myself from spitting as I gasped.

"You're just going along with your captor?! It's bad enough when he rips you from our world without giving you any say in the matter, but on top of that, he seems to be seriously incompetent! There are apparently reports all over the world of humans showing up, so he can't even get them to where he is. Wow, hope nobody was dumped in the ocean..."I ranted, my mouth starting to turn as dry as the desert as I went on and on.

"Well what other choice do we have?" Danil asked as I sighed. He was kind of right in a sense; there'd be no going back until we find this guy. "Look, I can't stay here for too long, since they could be tracking me. Are there any Pale Communion members in this town?"

"At least one." I responded as he hung his head.

"Doesn't look like anywhere is safe. Well, I should get going now; I have no idea if they're still tracking me, but I'm not staying around to find out. Goodbye Basil, and I hope we'll meet again soon. Say hello to Melinda for me." He said as he turned around to leave, pushing a few branches aside in the thick forest.

"Remember, try to mimic the local accent as best as you can." I said as he gave me a thumbs up as he vanished into the darkness. As happy as I was to see another human, Danil's presence here proved to be a problem. As he said, he could potentially be bringing some of the Pale Communion to Serenity, and having one member snooping around was bad enough. Part of me was wondering whether it was a good idea asking to go along with the Russian, but that would involve throwing myself in the path of danger. It'd be worth it if I was he was seeking Melinda too, but that was not the case. Well Danil, I just hope you can run faster than I could...

The journey back was thankfully completely uneventful, including the 'path' in the swamp. The smell of decay there wasn't all that bad any more, and as Nisbeth said, almost nothing nasty came out at night. Each step still felt a little scary however, as I had to keep my eyes on the ground to make sure I stayed on the makeshift path in the night. I also had to be careful when carrying these crops, since I didn't want to be rough with them, nor getting them wet, since I had no idea what could set off a bang with these volatile plants. Walking quietly into Nisbeth's shack, I could see that he was already asleep, and given I was too tired to really start tinkering with the crops I stole, I saw fit to follow Nisbeth's example. Laying them gently beside me, I fell asleep on the mattress, hoping I would wake up early tomorrow, though I always had a nasty habit of sleeping in...

"Basil, you'll be late!" I heard Nisbeth drawl loudly the next morning. Like clockwork...well, I can investigate these plants when I get back I suppose. After Nisbeth took me to the edge of the swamp, I made my way through the unusually busy streets to school to meet with my tutor again. He seemed to be impressed with the progress I was making, and I was too as I found myself able to make psychic barriers, even if they were tiny and very weak for now, not to mention the most pathetic confusion attack ever. My tutor barely even flinched as I tried targeting his brain to give him a headache, but he looked proud of me regardless.

"I'm starting to wonder what the issue ever was. It should have taken you weeks to get to this level, not a mere few days." He said, clapping after I tried to use confusion to induce a headache. It was a pretty weak technique, but Melinda's alakazam often used it in conjunction with other techniques to quickly stagger the opponent before getting a clean shot with a more powerful attack. I hardly thought I'd ever reach that sort of level however, unless I stayed here for years.

During the break, I decided to investigate some small objects around me, wondering if the psionic plane could teach me anything about them. Picking a blade of grass from the ground and putting it on the table beside me, I felt around it in the psionic plane. It felt very similar, though I swore if I focused my concentration hard enough, I could feel the pores and even the inside of the blade of grass itself. How curious – perhaps I could investigate the explosive crop back home, though I'd obviously need to be extremely careful while doing that.

The rest of the tutoring session went rather by the numbers, and by the end, I felt as though I started to get a hang of the basics, even if I felt as though I was a very long way over being able to use them for meaningful self-defence, which was the end goal of these lessons. He once again complimented me for my supposed swift learning before walking off into the principal's office, thinking out loud about how I was able to get a lot of the basics down so quickly. Walking by the office, I heard the kind principal speaking with my tutor, and being curious about whether they were discussing me or not, I hid just under the window and listened in.

"...He's made tremendous progress already, but I can't help but wonder exactly who he is." I heard my tutor say, which didn't make me feel good.

"What do you mean?" The principal said after a short delay as I heard her move objects to and from her desk.

"Well, very quick learning, grown up without learning how to fight, and just that...oddness about him I can't put my finger on." The tutor replied, his voice wavering slightly. "Notice anything odd about him yourself?"

"I suppose, but I don't see how this is important." The principal said, sounding like she didn't care too much.

"Well, I did hear a rumour that his family, a family of pokemon who never learned to fight in the rougher continent of conviction, were sailing over here, but were caught in some kind of accident, and it was only Basil who survived. Look, given how there's been a lot more reports of humans claiming that they're pokemon...you don't suppose Basil could be one of them?" He said as I heard something being knocked onto the floor.

"...Never speak of this again." She replied in a low murmur, that I could only just make out. "If he is one, then he has very good reason to keep it a secret, given they're being picked off by that cult. Is he one of them? I can't tell, but neither of us will ask anyone about Basil again. If we make the Pale Communion suspicious of him, we could have blood on our hands, and neither of us want that."

"...Of course. Sorry, I was just curious." He replied, sounding rather guilty.

"It's ok. I was starting to get curious about him myself when he and Nisbeth seemingly disagreed on his age, but let's put this behind us." She said, as I heard the meowstic's footsteps. I assumed he was leaving the building, so I saw it as my time to get out of here before they caught me eavesdropping. This was bad – how many people here thought I might be a human? Did Murphy think I was from another world? Did I give too much away to Charlie? Or, worst of all, that monferno – that could end up being the death of me! Regardless, I just had to stick to my plan for now. I needed to get that braixen to make me one of those wands, and much like I investigated that blade of grass, I could investigate the wand to see how it works.

I arrived where she wanted to meet me as I prepared myself for what I assumed would be the most uncomfortable experience during my time in this world. I was pretty successful at bullshitting in both worlds, but this was uncharted territory for me, even by this world's standards. Well, I had twenty minutes to plan all this out. How could I get her to make a wand for me without letting her get too close? What were my limits? I was determined to try and make the wand into a weapon for me, but I wasn't exactly willing to go _too_ far either. Well, I'd just try to-

"Ah, you're here early! How wonderful!" I heard a feminine voice say behind me, and as I predicted, it was the Braixen.

"Gave myself extra time to come here just in case I got lost. I've not been in Serenity for too long after all." I replied, hoping she wouldn't spend too much time on the formalities.

"For me? Aww! Well, shall we take a walk down to the flarewood trees? It's a real quiet spot for us." She said as I nodded, assuming those were the trees the wands were made from. I noticed they were called something different in this world, even if I couldn't remember the exact name of these trees back home.

"How long are they from here?" I said, a few minutes after walking down a path with her, trying to keep things from getting romantic.

"Oh, just about five more minutes." She said, smiling with me as she walked a little closer to me. I felt her hold my left hand, which started bringing the discomfort to me quickly. That being said, I could tolerate this for now, as much as I didn't want to. It would seem like cross-species relationships were quite common here unlike back home, but I doubted they could create offspring in this manner. "So what brought a cutie like you over to Serenity?"

"Immigrated. So, you gonna make a wand while we're here?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation where I wanted to.

"I suppose I could if you don't mind. It'll take about fifteen minutes to make one, and I can't have you getting bored on our date." She said, smiling at me sweetly. I really wish she wouldn't do that, as it was beginning to make my skin crawl.

"Then perhaps I can help you make a couple then. If we do that, mind if I have one?" I asked as she looked a little confused.

"Well, I don't see what a mewostic could do with a wand, but I don't see why not." She said, clearly wondering about why I was wanting one. Could I end up using one? I had no idea, but if there was psychic energies and whatnot within them, I could learn a lot from this. Come to think of it, I really had no idea what she saw in me aside from superficial cuteness, and even then, I didn't think I looked particularly adorable either. Then again, this otherworldly trip has been so hectic for me that I never really had a chance to look at myself in the mirror, so maybe I was the king of cute after all.

"Ah, this spot's lovely, wouldn't you say? Oh, I completely forgot! I never asked you for your name." She asked as we sat down under a tree together, which I presumed was one of those flarewoods.

"Basil, and you?" I said, looking at the space around me. Seemed like a nice peaceful spot, though I think I preferred Lakeside Park. A small lake was in front of us, being barely bigger than a pond. It was still as it was tiny, and it was sheltered by a bunch of willow-like trees. The grass actually felt quite good on my legs as I leaned against the bark of the tree, trying to give the braixen the illusion of me being comfortable.

"Sarah." She said, putting her left arm around me back, holding me close to her. She was quite a bit bigger than me as per most of her species, so it made things even more awkward than they needed to be. "So, you like it here Basil?"

"Yeah, I do." I lied, swallowing slightly. Right, maybe I should just ask about the wands now, but I didn't want to piss her off either by appearing as though I was just taking advantage of her to get the wand. She might not make me one at best, and at worst, she might flat out attack me, and there didn't seem to be anyone around that could break up the potential fight.

"Well, I brought some food and drinks with us for a picnic. I trust you also brought some grub with you?" She asked as I searched my bag. One large sandwich, at least by a meowstic's standards, and a bottle of water. I hoped this would be enough.

"Well, I can't really expect a little meowstic for you to be able to carry much, but the thought was nice." She said, getting what I assumed was a bottle of wine out, as well as some pâté and crackers. Well, if she was distracted with eating and drinking, then hopefully that'll mean less attention on me.

"Want to make the wands after this?" I asked, eating my rather plain, though oddly filling cheese sandwich.

"Sure, I guess. Suppose I should get that done and out of the way before we can properly enjoy ourselves." She said, smirking at me as I felt myself throw up in my mouth a bit, though I was thankfully able to hide it pretty well. I hardly expected her to be _that_ forward! As soon as I got the wand, I was out of here!

"I'm just going to quickly wash my face in the lake." I said, standing up after I finished my sandwich, with the faint taste of grotesque stomach acids lingering in my mouth even after I swallowed them back to where they belonged.

"I'll pour us some wine while you do that." Sarah said as I trotted my way over to the small lake quickly. Right, now how can I end the date as smoothly as possible after I get the wand without pissing her off? Would she understand that I wasn't comfortable with someone being that forward on the first date? I could say that after she goes to kiss me, which she probably wants. The very thought of it wanted to make me throw up again, but I had to keep up this act until I was clear of her – I wanted to keep the wand after all. The next exam was in about six days, and I was planning to leave no later than the day afterwards, so if she was wanting another date at some point, I could say tomorrow evening, since I'll be out of Serenity by that point.

Looking at my reflection the still waters was quite a shock to me, even though I knew roughly what to expect. I can't say I looked too different from the average mewostic, aside from the tuft of hair and the scarf, which were a fair bit messier and shaggier than usual, which reminded me of my messy, dirty-blond hair back in my old body. That being said, I could sort of empathise with Sarah here – I really did look adorable, as I doted over my reflection for a few minutes before washing my face.

"You took a while. Was something wrong?" She asked, giving me a glass of wine.

"Just thinking about my homeland. I love Serenity and what I've seen of State Broussard so far, but there'll always be a part of me that misses conviction." I lied as I felt her hold me again.

"I feel you. I moved here from Bonnieport a few years ago, though I still miss that little port town every once in a while." She said, gesturing me to drink the wine. Truth be told, I didn't like wine to begin with, but this stuff was particularly awful, and I was once again forced to feign enjoyment. Just a little longer Basil..

"Ok, anything I can help you in regards to the wand-making?" I asked as she looked up at the tree we were sitting under.

"Well, you could snap off a couple of branches for me while I finish this." She said, still having some of her wine.

"Could be tricky, they look really sturdy." I said, as I started climbing on the low branches. My smaller limbs made it a bit tricker than it looked, but I was able to stand on a low, long thick branch, holding the one above me for support. Now, where could I break this? I didn't want to make too much of an arse of myself, so I accessed the psionic plane to feel around the branch in front of me. It didn't take long to find a weak spot, where it seemed like some of the wood was a bit rotten. Leaping as high as I can, I stomped down hard with both my feet right in front of the rotten patch. It gave way immediately as I unfortunately lost my grip on the tree above, causing me to fall with the branch onto the ground.

"Are you ok Basil?" Sarah said, chuckling as she made her way quickly over to me to help me up, clearly finding the whole thing amusing.

"Yeah, just fine." I responded as she suddenly scratched me gently under the chin, making me wince slightly.

"Aww, you really are the cutest thing I've ever laid eyes on in this village!" Sarah said, looking very happy as we looked at the fallen tree branch, making me glad that her attention wasn't on me. "Anyway, would you mind removing the leaves while I decide the best places to cut the branch into wands?"

"Of course." I replied as I got to work. It didn't take me too long, as I ripped off all the leaves as quickly as I could, wanting to get this over and done with.

"Let's see...here, here, here and here." She said, pointing to different points on the branch with her wand as we snapped it where she told me to. "Great work Basil, though from here on out, it's best left to me. I won't be more than ten minutes, I promise." I watched her fashion the wands carefully using fire and psionics. The use of fire was obviously beyond me at this point, but her use of her psychic abilities to fashion the wands was very interesting. It seems like she was feeding the wands energy, and from a few tests, I could see it was a very effective conduit for both fire and energy derived from the psionic plane. Given braixens and delphoxes were some of the weaker pokemon out there in terms of their use of flames and psychic energy, this was the perfect way to get around it. Open seeing her test it by shooting some fire into the sky and using it to levitate some of the leftovers of the branch, I was truly able to appreciate how it worked.

"Fascinating..." I muttered to myself as I watched her run the tests on the other one. I already knew that this could help me up tremendously, yet it didn't look like it would be enough on its own. I'd need to investigate and practice further with these if I were to get any combat use out of them, but it was a good start. Unlike Braixen, I had to hold the wand in two hands given I was quite a bit smaller than her, so if I were to use it in a fight, I'd end up having to swing around awkwardly with both arms.

"You like it?" She asked as I nodded with a big grin on my face.

"I'll treasure it Sarah, thank you!" I said, looking up and down at the wand I had. I had only looked at it for five seconds before I felt it being taken from me by her as she put them both on the ground next to her.

"Huh?" I said out loud as I felt myself being picked up by her and before I knew it, I was placed gently on my back on the grass below as she playfully pounced on me, holding my arms down on the ground. "Uh, Sarah-"

"Ssh...here comes the best part Basil!" She said happily said before swiftly lowering her mouth on to mine and started enthusiastically kissing me. No point in hiding my discomfort now! I violently struggled for a few seconds as I made it very clear that I wasn't enjoying this at all, as I began to taste the mixture of wine, cheese, bread and stomach acids in my mouth. My entire body shuddered in disgust as she lifted her head off mine, though she still kept me down on the ground.

"...Sorry, was I too forward?" She asked, her question looking completely sincere as I glared at her.

"Ya think?! I barely even know you and you...ugh, not on the first date!" I said as she let me get to my feet. I threw up about two seconds later as she looked rather shocked to see my sudden one-eighty on the situation. "Look, I'm not ready for that sort of treatment yet!" I continued, though I had no intention of ever getting remotely ready for that.

"...I'm sorry Basil, I thought that-" She said, still looking completely innocent as I cut her off.

"Could you at least give me a chance to say you're going too far?!" I said, wiping my mouth from the lingering vomit. "Sorry, I was just rather shocked. Look, can I have a week for this to settle in before I decide whether I want to take this further?"

"Ok Basil, I understand. Uhm...do you forgive me for that? Would you be willing to go on another date soon?" She said, starting to look guilty. I didn't feel an ounce of sympathy for her, but I wanted to respond in a way that wouldn't encourage her to ask me to give my wand back to her.

"Well, how about today next week during the evening?" I offered as she nodded.

"Sounds good to me! I'll see you then. If you're not too...uh, shocked, would you walk me back to Serenity?" She asked as I thought it'd help keep things cordial for just long enough. After this, I prayed I'd never have to see her again. I got what I came for, and paid the price – a price that would hopefully be worth it in the long run. I swear, if I had to endure a pokemon coming onto me for nothing...

We didn't speak much on the way back, and I was thankful that she kept her hands to herself for the journey – the way things should be. Aside from the obvious, the one thing that was bothering me was why she seemed that into me. She didn't know me at all, and I didn't exactly look that cute by meowstic standards. Was she really just into my species, or was she like this with almost every male she came across? Well, I had no intentions of finding out as I said farewell and got out of her sight quickly. I was happy to share the details of my life to Nisbeth, but I think this is one thing I'll keep to myself. Why, I wasn't even sure if I was up for telling Melinda when I eventually find her. Looking at the nearby sundial, I could see it was almost six o'clock. Thankfully, Nisbeth would be waiting to help me get through the swamp at six exactly. Hopefully he'd be fine with me being a few minutes late, and if not, well, if all this works out for me, he might not have to guide me again.

"Is that vomit on your fur?" He asked as I wiped it off, not realising it was there.

"Yeah, the sandwich I had must have gone off. I'm fine, though I could use a fish stew when we get back." I replied, and I got one as soon as we got back. Tasted far better than a braixen's mouth, that's for sure! After I wolfed it all down with great haste, I knew it was time to see if I could make a weapon. Still, I didn't want to risk burning Nisbeth's shack down, so I carried the wand and the crops to a tree stump about ten meters away. Now was the time to do what humans do best – making stuff with out hands.

Ignoring the crops for now, I tried seeing if I could channel the psionic plane through the wand. After experimenting for a few minutes, I was able to figure out vaguely how to use one, but I couldn't get any real power out of it as my powers were still extremely underdeveloped. Still, this would be useful, so I wanted to keep the wand in good condition. Putting it back in the shack, I had a look at the explosive crops. Messing around with these in the psionic plane could be dangerous, so I'd be sure to keep my distance. I tore a small bit off one of the crops and laid it upon the tree stump before taking a few steps back.

"Right, reveal your secrets..." I said as I started feeling around the small cutting in the psionic plane. I vaguely knew how plants were constructed, so I was able to tell that there was a very alien substance within them. Something that seemed very out of place. It was almost like the stalk and leaves contained some kind of powder within them. Fooling around with it, I knew there's a chance I could cause a small detonation, as I began speculating whether this was some kind of naturally occurring gunpowder, or some equivalent that was native only to this world. I had heard of explosive seed dispersal from back in my world, but this seemed to take that to a whole new level!

"Aah!" I suddenly yelled, when I accidentally caused the cutting to explode. It was a fair blast, but it wasn't particularly huge. I needed to be careful to avoid rustling that powder too much next time. Well, I suppose this was a good start. Looking at one of the developing seeds on the cutting, I could see it was full of this powder once viewed in the psionic plane. That could cause quite the blast! Picking it up, I wondered if this could be used like a miniature grenade that I could trigger at the exact moment I wanted it to. Now, was there a way to get this powder on its own? Using my tiny claws, I was able to gently tear open the stalk to find a bunch of dark green powder inside. How could I use this on its own? Could I use this, or would I be limited to a few 'grenades' that looked too powerful to use without severely wounding someone. Could this work at all with the wand?

"What was that sound?" Nisbeth asked as I got the wand.

"The sound of progress!" I said, smiling broadly at him as I put the wand upon my makeshift laboratory. Now, the wand directed the psionic field in one direction – out of the small end. Could I somehow use this powder to make an explosion go in a specific direction? If I could somehow get the gunpowder inside the wand...

"...That's it!" I said out loud as I felt the little grooves in the wand. The powder could fit right in there! Trying not to get carried away, I gently coated the wand with the explosive powder as I shook off the excess back onto the tree stump. Now, if I understood the psionic plane enough, I could trigger a small explosion that would be directed in front of me instead of harming me or the wand. Clearing the area of the explosive crop and putting the rest of the loose powder into a small, clean pouch in my backpack, I pointed it in a safe direction and focused intensely on the wand.

"Easily does it..." I muttered as I felt around for the powder and gave it a good shake. The resulting explosion wasn't very big, but it was directed right in front of the wand with a burst of intense heat and wind. It was a success! I had done it! I had made the weapon! This was easily the happiest I had ever been since I came here! I felt my limbs flutter with joy as I leapt high in the air out of sheer jubilation before running over to gently hug the wand. Feeling around it, I noticed that most of the powder was still there. Could I make a smaller or bigger blast? Only one way to find out...

"Boom!" I said enthusiastically as I concentrated on detonating a smaller explosion by targeting a tiny patch of explosive powder. I could even adjust how powerful it was! To think I was able to accomplish this with minimal psychic abilities! To think none of the pokemon here even thought to make weapons like this!

"Er, Basil, what are you doing? And what is that you are holding?" I heard Nisbeth say from a few meters behind me. Turning around with a enormous grin plastered on my smug face, I was more than happy to answer.

"This, Nisbeth...this is my ticket to adulthood, the great equalizer and the tool that will drive the search for Melinda all in one! Observe!" I announced, pointing it away from him as I targeted a larger deposit of powder and carefully ignited it.

"BOOM!" I screamed in joy as the resulting explosion was a great show of force to anyone who could cross me. I felt the heat from the blast as it widened my smile even further. This would surely allow me to pass the exam with a low powered blast, and while I prayed that it would never come to this, anyone who would ever think about taking my life had better hope that they were strong enough to withstand a blast of heat and wind powerful enough to make Nisbeth take a few steps back in shock. The Pale Communion didn't seem quite so scary any more now that I could stand up to them, and for the first time since arriving here, I could sleep well knowing that I wasn't so weak and helpless.


	9. Triumph

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 9: Triumph

"Good morning Nisbeth!" I said, waking up as soon as the sun poked its rays through the window. My cheesy grin was plastered hard onto my face as I held the weapon gently in both my arms. You utter beauty! You all-purpose ticket! That braixen obviously wasn't my love, but you...you might just be the one!

"...Basil, I wouldn't fall too much in love with an object." Nisbeth drawled as I suddenly looked round.

"...I wasn't going to lick it! Fuck me, it's got explosive powder in it! That being said, I'm still in a good mood, so I'll make breakfast this time." I said, getting a pot out of the cupboard. Admittedly, I was starting to get a little tired of fish stew, but when you really broke it down, food is fuel. Who was I to complain?

"Finally volunteering to make the food this time? Never thought I'd ever see the day..." Nisbeth groaned, still clearly very tired.

"Look, the first really good thing has happened to me since I wound up on this planet. Can you really blame me for feeling a bit more chirpy?" I said, my giddiness subsiding slightly as he slowly rolled out of bed.

"Sorry Basil, didn't expect you to be up this early. I'd have slept for another hour, but it seems like you had different plans." He said as I nodded, my face still wearing that mile-wide smile.

"I was actually kind of shitting myself about today with the whole field trip, but with the weapon, I think I might actually kind of enjoy it!" I said, pointing to it resting on the table.

"About that...you said people were getting suspicious of you, right? Well, that...thing certainly won't help." He said, almost looking like he was afraid of the weapon. I was fine with Nisbeth grumbling and moaning, but this? This really dampened my spirits as I felt my body sag, into the wooden floorboards beneath my feet.

"Aw...didn't think about that. I guess I should thank you for helping me avoid a potential bullet there." I said as my grin peeled itself off my face. What to do? I could die if I get savaged by an uncivilized pokemon on the field trip! I needed a way to make sure that didn't happen! But could it be done without the weapon? Could I just hide behind my classmates from beginning to end? "Well...I could bring it with me in a bag, and only use it if things get real hairy. Hopefully it won't come to that though." I said as I quickly devoured my stew before giving the rest to Nisbeth

"Sounds like you've through this through pretty good. I reckon you'll be fine walking to school by yourself with that wooden stick, so I'll leave you too it if you don't mind." He said as I picked up the weapon gently.

"You don't think much of my creation, do you." I said flatly as I opened the door to the outside world – a world I was ready to take head on.

"It's just so different to anything I've seen. Is this a human thing?" He asked as I thought on it for a while, but I couldn't keep my mind off the rest of the day.

"Eh, it's complicated." I said as looked at the swamp behind me. I was still a little afraid, but I was ready to take it on. "Well, see you late this afternoon then I suppose."

"You're helping me fish when you get back, ok?" He asked before I shut the door as I nodded.

"Obviously." I replied as I shut the door and made my way down the path. Each rustle and chirp made me flinch slightly, as I kept a constant look out to make sure that no one was watching me. I may have the weapon, but I always appreciated Nisbeth's company and protection in these parts. It felt like I was the one holding the wheel this time, and I'd make sure I'd steer myself through safely. It can't be too hard – if something shows aggression towards me or gets too close, just blast the bastard and be done with it!

A loud splash and a thud from behind me would signal that it was about time I put all this to the test. Was I putting too much faith in the weapon? Could it drive off that starving looking swampert? It stared at me hungrily as it slowly made its way over, each step thudding the damp ground heavily. Clearly, it wasn't the brightest hunter since it didn't rush me, but it'd end all the same for that beast. Inhaling, I raised the weapon so that it pointed at his head and tightened my grip. It didn't have a very good range to it, but I'd estimate that two meters away with a medium powered blast aught to do the trick. Selecting the right groove in the weapon, I heard a loud explosion as I detonated the powder as the blast was thrown away from me and at the swampert with an audible bang. I felt the heat from the blast brush my fur as the swampert roared in pain as I saw its head get covered in small burns as small streaks of red started covering its blue and white face.

"Yeah, don't fuck with me!" I shouted, showing off my bravado as it ran off, clearly deciding that I wasn't easy prey. I was glad it ended that quickly, as pissing it off would have been a possible outcome from this. Though, even if that were to happen, I'd just blast him again with a larger blast.

"Wow, what a nice change!" I muttered to myself happily as I left the swamp behind me. Hiding the weapon in my backpack, a briskly walked between the crowds of larger pokemon on my way to school. I felt too old for this, but I wouldn't have to endure this for a week, and besides, I could be taught valuable survival skills here, so I wasn't going to complain too much.

"Ah hello there Basil! You're here quite early." I heard the principal say as I walked past her, getting ready to start.

"Had nothing better to do I guess. When do I start?" I asked, making sure I had everything that I needed in my backpack.

"About twenty minutes. Your classmates will be here any minute, as well as your guide for the day who should be here by now." She replied, looking around. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Nah, I'm good. You've already gotten me a really sweet deal since I came here, but if you're still offering, I'll ask when I think of something." I said, smiling at her as I saw a familiar figure sprint at great speeds towards us, and there was no mistaking that yellow speeding bullet.

"Basil!" He said hugging me quickly before I got a chance to react.

"...Calm down, would ya?!" I said through a tightened chest as he let go of me, my feet landing on the ground again. "So, you're going to be my teacher for today then?"

"Sure am! Hey, I'm an adult now, so I reckon I gotta earn me some cash!" He said happily as he pointed up to the hill behind us. "We'll be climbing Young'un's Hill. It got called that since it's every kid's favourite school trip. Trust me Basil, you'll love it!"

"Eh, probably not, but I'll see how it goes." I said casually, though Basil looked less than casual about it, almost to the extent of being offended. "Oh come now; don't you know how much I was afraid of this? There could be savages out there who'll see me as prey! I really had to calm myself the best I could for this."

"You'll be fine Basil, trust me; I'll look out for ya. Anyway, here are the classmates coming now. Hah, it feels strange not being the last one here." He said, watching three younger pokemon come over to us.

"Still can't believe you got your adulthood before me..." A grouchy pancham said, shaking his head at Murphy.

"Well, I'm the teacher now, so you half to do as I say!" He replied grinning back at him as the pancham groaned in mild dismay.

"Don't bet on it...anyway, you seem really old for a kid." He said, turning to look at me. "Seriously, you look like you're twenty-two!" Looking back at him, I'd say he looked about fifteen, but it was always hard to judge with pokemon.

"I'm eighteen, and trust me; I won't need to be here for long." I replied confidently as a younger shelmet and deerling joined us.

"Wait, weren't you the meowstic that choked hard on the combat exam? Like, really, _really_ hard?" The shelmet said, casting me a bemused look with puckering lips. Ugh, always thought they were disgusting creatures.

"Yup! I also noticed that you took the exam with this pancham here. What did you fail at?" I asked as they rolled their eyes.

"Geography and history, the two most boring subjects." The pancham said, shelmet nodding in agreement. "On the other hand, we were at least able to smash the combat exam. Seriously, how could you fail that?! It's really kind of pathetic at your age! Hah, imagine if he was as old as he looked!? He'd be cast off the continent!" He contained, snickering away with shelmet. Now, a mature gentleman would rise above this sort of thing, but I thought I'd indulge myself slightly.

"I have spent less than a week here, and yet, I still managed to pass history, yet you've lived here all your life I presume, and you somehow managed to fail. Congratulations! You're a tough guy! Too bad you've got shit for brains, so have fun getting employment afterwards." I said smugly as I saw him become infuriated.

"Hey, no swearing in the classroom!" Murphy said from behind, causing me to physically cringe.

"The power getting to your head already? Shocking!" I said as he started discussing what we would do.

"Ok children, as I'm sure you're all excited for, we are going to be climbing Young'un's Hill! Food and water has been provided for you over there in case you didn't bring your own, and I'll be splitting you both into pairs! I'll always be close by just in case something doesn't right, but we all know that won't happen!" Murphy said happily as he put us into pairs.

"Basil." I said, formally introducing myself to the deerling who I was paired with.

"Josephine. Oh, never mind those two nasty pieces of work." She said, trying to reassure me. It was hardly necessary, since if things came to push, I'd put the two of them in their place without a second thought. "So, excited?"

"Actually wasn't looking forward to this. I was never much of an outdoors guy, so mind looking out for me? Y'know, since you've probably done this about ten times already." I said, looking at the hill before me.

"Nineteen to be exact." She said, leading the way. "Don't worry, it's not dangerous if you're careful. The wildlife around these parts aren't very strong."

"Oh, thanks for the comfort." I said, being half sarcastic. Seems like these pokemon were really reckless compared to mankind, and, needless to say, I preferred the ways of my own kind. Today was a far hotter day than yesterday, and I could already feel the heat wearing down on me as my pace slowed to a borderline crawl.

"Hate to be rude, but mind picking up the pace?" Josephine asked, gesturing me to hurry up. Leaning my head back to quickly gaze at the blistering sun, I sighed and started walking briskly, trying to ignore the sweltering conditions. It wasn't really any hotter than the days I spent in Louisiana many years ago, but I hated it all the same.

"Alright, alright, just let me get my water bottle out..." I said after she tried to hurry me up again. Opening it, I quickly gulped down just over half of the entire thing before closing the top.

"The heat getting to you? Now if you were from New Australia, that'd make sense, but Conviction's even hotter usually. Not that I'm complaining, I love weather like this." She said happily as we made out way along a forested path. The trees thankfully sheltered us, so I no longer felt like I was slowly melting away. The entire canopy blocked out all of the worst of the sun's wrath with unusually huge leaves that must have been half a meter across, as the shade seemed to restore some energy with me. By the time we were out of these woods, we'd hopefully be high enough for the baking heat to not be quite so punishing. So far, so good, aside from the occasional sounds of life within these thick trees. Reaching within my bag, I checked to make sure the weapon was there to comfort me.

"You ok Basil? You look really worried. Look, I've been here since I was ten – you'll be fine." She said as I slowly took the weapon out of my bag and held it firmly in my hands. The texture of the wood and the power it held soothed my nerves before they could get too jumpy as I took a few deep breaths to calm myself before following her.

"I'm fine now, let's just get moving quickly. I don't like this place." I said quickly as I walked right behind her at a quick pace. I'd really like to avoid showing her what the weapon can do, or else she could start quizzing me about it. I couldn't risk bringing unnecessary attention onto myself.

"What is that stick anyway?" She asked as my head jerked suddenly to look at her in the eyes.

"It keeps me calm." I responded almost immediately after she asked. "I know it doesn't make much sense, but just..." I trailed off as I tried hurrying her up to get out of the forest, but I was soon distracted by an ear-shattering shriek from above me, forcing me to cover my ears. Well, they were always closed under normal circumstances, so I guess I just covered them even tighter than usual.

"Josephine! This place is not safe!" I yelled as I dived to the left to avoid the fearow from crashing into me with that spear-like beak. That thing could have impaled me! Right, what could I do? Well, if my life's in danger again, I'd just take my chances with the weapon, but could I deal with this without resorting to blasting the fearow? Well, I was seen as one of the best battle strategists and analysers in the world back home, so maybe I could help guide this deerling...

"Right, if it dives for you, dodge to the side, and buck that thing in the face hard enough for it to crash into the tree!" I called out. It was hardly optimal, but it was the best I could think of right now. Josephine gave me a perplexed look, as I guess she thought it was rude to give commands like that. Oh, how I wish Murphy was here right now!

"If it makes you happy..." She said as the fearow turned around to dive bomb her with another screech. I hid behind cover and watched her deftly dodge to the side before planting a well placed kick with both her hind feet right at the side of its head. Rather amusingly, it got its beak stuck in the trunk of the thick tree next to her as it struggled to get free.

"S, see? I told you it'd work!" I said, feeling a little safer. Melinda would have surely been proud of my quick thinking, even if I wasn't anywhere her near level on clutch decision making. Maybe she rubbed off on me more than I thought growing up together "Now, please knock out that big bird so we can get moving."

"You won't learn anything if I do all the work you know." She said, kicking the fearow in the face again, but it wasn't enough as it wrenched itself free and turned to look at me, clearly identifying me as the lesser threat. I couldn't risk firing at the beast while deerling was also in front, so I was forced to back off slowly, keeping the weapon pointed at the fearow. The timing had to be perfect! Sadly, that was easier said than done when it suddenly whipped up a gust of wind, making me stumble slightly. Alas, I really should have seen this coming. I made the mistake assuming it was mindless as well as being savage. Not being able to aim quickly enough, I had to dive out of the way again, but I was hit hard by its left wing, knocking me down the hill. While I was glad to avoid the sharpest end of the assault, my body still felt shattered after getting smacked like that, pain throbbing across my chest as I crashed into a bush.

Gasping for breath, I crawled out from the mess of leaves and wood and tried to orientate myself, feeling quite dizzy from being knocked down the hill. No time to stand around, I had a fearow problem I needed to deal with! I couldn't see Josephine anywhere, but the fearow clearly had no intentions on letting up the assault as it dove right for me once more from a great height, using a large gap in the canopy of leaves above me for extra height and speed. Clutching the weapon tightly, I readied for any and all of its tricks as I looked at it dead in the eye. Planting one foot firmly behind me, I steadied my body so that no gust of wind could knock me off balance as I took aim at the fast approaching bird.

"Smile!" I said loudly before igniting a larger batch of explosive powder. The sudden burst of heat made me flinch slightly as the weapon did its work with a loud bang, followed by a shriek of shock and agony from my assailant. It crashed down hard onto the ground in front of me as I saw it struggle and writhe in pain, its face and wings partially ruined by a series of nasty looking burns. That right there – that was the power of the weapon!

Thinking back to when the Cajun fellow with the shotgun saved me from the feraligator all those years ago, what he said to me back then finally made sense. I honestly thought of him as a dumb, gun-totting redneck who probably drank moonshine by the bottle when he described his small collection of firearms as being 'great equalizers', but what he told me about them suddenly all added up. The weapon was an equalizer, and a great one at that. It put someone as weak as me on a level playing field with all of the pokemon here, and if anyone ever dared to try and cause me harm, they would be brought down by human ingenuity!

"Uh, Basil...what did you do to that fearow? And what is that?" I heard someone say from behind. I turned around to see Murphy eyeing me, the fearow and the weapon closely. "I reckon you were pretty brutal to that pokemon! How'd you do that?!"

"This, right here..." I said, gesturing to the weapon in my hands. I couldn't think of a way to talk my way out of this whatsoever, so I guess I'd just have to tell him about it. Besides, Murphy wouldn't blab about this, would he? "This is the weapon. I used it to take down that fearow that tried to impale me. By the way, Murphy, I almost died there! Mind keeping a closer eye on us?! Why would you send us somewhere so dangerous anyway?!"

"I'm sure it wouldn't have impaled you; you're being overly dramatic. I was caught on the receiving end of one of them as a helioptile and I was fine the next day. I wonder if I can say the same for that fearow though?" He said, pointing to the creature as it continued flailing around, trying to fly as the feathers on its face started to get ever so slightly damp with blood.

"After it tried to mutilate me without provocation, I really couldn't care less whether it died or not! It's not even a person; it's a savage!" I said, my voice screeching slightly as I still hadn't quite calmed down from being attacked like that. "Well, it doesn't matter – I've proven that I can protect myself against many conventional savages." As much as I disliked the idea of being sent up a hill with all of these dangerous pokemon around, it could act like a good test drive for the weapon and I. I'd likely have to do this for much longer if I am to ever find Melinda in this world.

"Well, we here on Broussard practice restraint when defending ourselves. We don't like to cripple our adversaries too much if we can, and lethal methods are an absolute last resort." He said, looking quite serious, which was jarring from his usual jovial nature.

"I'm not going to spend too much time second guessing things like that. I think I'll judge for myself thank you very much." I said firmly, not feeling an ounce of sympathy towards the fearow, who was struggling to get into the air. Looking at it, it didn't seem like it suffered too heavily, though I started to wander what a point-blank shot out have done to it. I didn't feel too comfortably about the idea in getting involved in the business of death, but there was a part of me that thought that it could become inevitable. "Well, want to climb the rest of this hill together then?"

"You're supposed to do it with deerling and not me...well, I'll stay close if that makes you feel better. The other two have done this plenty of times, so I'm sure they'll be just fine." He said, looking around. "Do you think I'm doing ok as a teacher? Well, not really a teacher – I'm just being employed for the day for a bit of money."

"I've no idea, I've never really done anything like this before. Just keep a close eye on me, and we'll hopefully be good." I said, looking up the hill as I slowly started walking. My chest still hurt, but it was hardly holding me back too much.

"Ah, Josephine, there you are!" Murphy said, seeing the deerling looking for me up ahead.

"Sorry Basil, I lost track of you." She said as we met each other and started walking up together, the trees slowly spacing themselves out until there wasn't much of a forest left.

"Care to do a better job of keeping an eye on me next time?" I said, rolling my eyes, still feeling shaken up from the assault.

"No need to be rude about it!" She said as she sighed in frustration.

"I didn't exactly ask to come here you know, so excuse me if I don't feel too enthusiastic about-" I retorted before Murphy cut in.

"Quiet, both of you!" He said sternly as I rolled my eyes.

"Sure thing, 'teacher.'" I said, grumbling at Murphy's supposed authority, but I wasn't going to complain too much about having a tough cookie like him on my side as we continued making out way up the hill. As it would turn out, we were out of the woods in more ways than one, as the rest of the climb was pleasantly uneventful. It wasn't quite as hot now, as we were higher and a cloud was sheltering us from the worst of the sun's wrath as I started to feel less grouchy about the whole situation.

"I'm going to check on the other two." Murphy said, seeing a pair of students a small distance up ahead and making a quick dash to catch up with them.

"Can't see you passing the combat exam anytime soon if I'm to be honest..." Josephine said as I scowled at her slightly.

"Trust my voice – I'll pass in less than a week. Look, how about we just make sure we get to the top of this hill and put this behind us, ok?" I said, trying to defuse any hostilities and frustrations.

"You're really not enjoying this, are you. Kind of odd really, since I heard that people from Conviction tended to like the whole adventuring thing more than us." She said as I nodded.

"You heard right, but there are those who just like a comfy and safe life, such as myself." I said casually as I stretched my arms. "Still, it's quite nice now that we're in cooler and safer territory. Any safer hill climbs here?"

"Not really, though you see that one over there?" She said, turning around and pointing to a small hill at the other side of town. "I used to play around there as a child. You might enjoy that for a short two hour walk."

"I'll check it out." I said, having no intention to. A short while later, a cool breeze started brushing itself against my fur as the pain subsided in my chest. Now there were conditions I could live in fairy happily, minus everything else in this world. The other three were waiting up ahead, clearly wanting to do the last stretch together. Well, Murphy was at least, since the other two looked impatient.

"The others let us go on at our own pace, 'teacher', why won't you let us?" The pancham said, drumming up a fuss.

"Because I say so." Murphy said simply, and I started wondering if the power was getting to his head a bit. "It's only about five minutes to go anyway, so let's get moving y'all!" The rest of the climb was a little flatter, which was certainly nice, but I was getting a fair bit of trash talk from the others for slowing the group down.

"Wait just a moment; you enjoy this hill climbing so much, yet want to make it into a race? Make up your mind guys! Take you time and enjoy it!" I said back at them, though they clearly didn't think much of my relaxed ways. I was hardly ever relaxed in any other field, so I was happy to take the opportunity when it came.

"Ah, do statues mark the top of hills here? Much more elaborate than back home where we just put little trig points. Y'know, little pillars." I said as I walked over to it. It looked really black for a stone structure, though I do remember seeing other statues that were almost as dark. It had no base to it at all, and it looked like it could topple over at any moment from the pokemon's pose.

"...No, I've not seen this before." Murphy said, joining me as we inspected this mysterious statue. Upon closer inspection, it was a golduck, and in a really unflattering pose. It looked both shocked and saddened instead of proud or thoughtful as most statues do. Slowly walking around it, I could see no engravings or notices telling us who this pokemon was or what he did to deserve getting a statue getting made of him. That being said, it looked incredibly well made, so it really made me wonder why someone would put all their skill and effort into creating a high quality statue, only to not say who it was based on, put him in an oddly pathetic pose, and just dump it on a hill?

"Err...any of you guys recognize him?" I asked, giving up on trying to make sense of this. "Was this planned out by the principle? Do we work together to carry it down the hill or something? Murphy, surely you know something, right?"

"Nope, this wasn't part of the climb. I've no idea why this statue is here." He said as I gently touched the statue. It didn't exactly feel like stone, though perhaps it was made out of some kind of dark mineral that was only found in this world. Some of the plants here looked rather alien, so it'd only make sense that some of the rocks and stones would be just as foreign.

"Looks a little like Louis." The shelmet said, looking up at its horrified face. "Heard he was in Bonnieport to see some of his family. Anyway, should we carry this thing down together Murphy? I reckon we can do it if all five of us pull our weight."

"Someone probably left it here for a reason. It's not ours to take, so we'll leave it here." He said as he looked down the hill. "Well, it's time to back. Feel free to go at your own pace, and if you are, please stick to your pairs." I decided to stay with Murphy, feeling he could protect me the best if things suddenly got hairy. Thankfully, the descent was completely uneventful, with none of the local wildlife daring to threaten us, and as time went on, the day got cooler as friendly clouds started blanketing the sky, leaving us all in the pleasant shade.

"...That didn't go as well as I expected..." Murphy said sadly as we left school together. His body slumped as his pace slowed somewhat, though I wasn't complaining too much about the latter since I no longer had to jog to keep up.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I practised for two days in a row to get my teacher mode on, but I kind of choked in almost every aspect. I guess I didn't really get that feeling of authority across very well." He said, still sounding disappointed in himself. "If I can't really get the aura of command and respect across, how will I ever be an actor?"

"Guess it takes more practice. Besides, you were just guiding a trip for a bit of cash, so they weren't asking too much from you. I'd say you did good enough, so don't beat yourself up over it, ok?" I said, trying to reassure him.

"Want to go to Lakeside Park for a while? I could relax there for a while." He said as I agreed. With the weapon on my side, I felt I could get home safely by myself if we stayed out late.

"Sure thing. Also, I can pay you back now for the beers. Speaking of which, I could use one myself; always nice after an exhausting day, wouldn't you say? Wait, you don't like drink...ah, how boring." I said cheerfully as we arrived there in about fifteen minutes. It was a fair bit quieter this time, but the beer stall was still there. Needing no invitation, I got a nice cold bottle and lied down next to Murphy, being very careful not to spill a drop on my fur.

"So...you said you were wanting to move to Newer Orleans at some stage, right?" I said, taking a swig. I already felt the alcohol working away at me, not to mention this fairly small bottle was probably about the equivalent of two pints when put beside my small body.

"Yeah, I can't exactly have an acting career here." He replied as I thought about this for a short while. Newer Orleans would be my next port of call once I pass the exam in a few days, and if he couldn't achieve his dreams and ambitions here in Serenity...

"We should go there together, five days from now." I said suddenly as he looked quite shocked at my sudden suggestion.

"In five days?! But how?" He responded as I smiled.

"By taking a four day trek there of course! Unless there's any transport, of course." I said, still smiling. It was hard to tell whether Murphy thought I was serious about my sudden proposal or not as I saw him making fidgety gestures.

"We can't just rush headlong into this though; shouldn't we give this a bit more thought?" He said, still not getting the message.

"We have five days to plan this. You said it yourself – you can't have an acting career here, so why are you so stuck to this small town? Listen, I have no reason to stay here, so if I can't convince you to come with you, I'll be going alone." I said firmly, sitting up to look him in the eyes. "Don't waste your life here if you really want to be an actor. Even if you have to get a boring menial job for a few years, just keep practising in your spare time, and you'll get there. Besides, I think you're already pretty good. I think I need to see more of that liveliness that I usually see from you!"

"Heh, thanks Basil. I'll consider it, though I need to make sure I have enough money for it to be possible. Think you'll have enough to get by?" He asked me as I shrugged.

"No idea, probably not. I'm going anyway though." I replied. I knew that it was foolishly bold of me to leave this early and unprepared, but given Melinda could be out there and under threat of being picked off by the Pale Communion, I couldn't afford to delay any longer than I needed to. All I needed from Serenity was my adulthood card, and as a result, that was the only reason why I hadn't left already.

"This is unlike you Basil. Why are you this dead-set on going there? You must have a very good reason." He asked. I knew he'd ask that question eventually, and thankfully, I prepared a partial truth to give him in perpetration for this exact situation.

"I think I have extended family members there. Look all of my close family drowned on the way here due to the ship sinking, so I'm going to try and find others of my blood in Newer Orleans. They might not be there though, since all I know is that they live in State Broussard, so they could be in Bonnieport or somewhere else for all I know. All I know is that they're not here." I said as he looked a little unsure of me.

"Have you asked everyone here?" He asked as I rolled my eyes.

"There's only one meowstic family here, and they're not it." I said as Murphy cut in to disagree.

"There's two though. Have you not asked them?" He said as I tried my best to improvise my way out of this.

"Well, I'll be leaving in five days. I have five days to ask them, so it's hardly a deal." I said as Murphy seemed to buy it.

"Well, I'll think about it Basil." He said as I finished off my beer. Standing up, I felt a little woozy, though I still felt firmly in control of my body and thoughts. "If I go with you, I'll miss this place. So many good memories here."

"I'm sure you can come back here every once in a while for a holiday if you wanted." I said as he stood up beside me.

"Oh, mind telling me more about that stick? You said you used it to fend off the fearow. Mind if I see it in action?" He asked as I felt a little uncomfortable showing him, but on the other hand, flat out refusing would make him less likely to come with me. I slowly took it out of my bag and inspected it closely. Most of the grains in the wood were empty, but there were still a couple left with blast powder to show him.

"I made it to defend myself and to pass the combat exam. I would be folly for me to try and walk to Newer Orleans without it, and a show of force from this thing right here will prove I'm worthy to be an adult in your culture's eyes." I said rather casually before pointing it in a safe direction. I didn't want to say more about it than I needed to as I prepared to cause a small blast over the shore of the rather tranquil lake. Igniting a small batch of powder with my psychic abilities, the explosion threw itself out of the end of the weapon, viciously attacking the air in front of it.

"Woah, how did you make it?!" He said in awe as I put the weapon back in my bag.

"Braixen wand and explosive powder." I said, not bothering to give him any details. "Also, it can be quite volatile, so if you accidentally send a small zap of electricity down it, you could ignite everything at once which might end up destroying the weapon entirely, so I'm not letting you touch it."

"Aw, ok then. Never seen a contraption like that before. How did you think up something like that?" He asked as I smirked.

"I'm just clever – what else can I say?" I said, taking a rare opportunity to bathe in my ego. "Well, I think it's about time I head off home now. Please think about coming with me to Newer Orleans, since I could really use the company."

"I will Basil." He said as we started walking back towards town together as the sun started vanishing below the hilly horizon on the other side of the lake. I suddenly heard a rustle in the nearby bushes to my right a few seconds after I threw my empty bottle there. A slow to react animal or savage? Who knew? Then again, who cared? I was never one to litter, but if they can't be bothered supplying bins at a popular park, then why should I bother making the effort carrying it all the way home?

In a way, my life felt like it was oddly on auto-pilot for the next few days. Get up, go to school, go fishing afterwards, and go to sleep. Occasionally I'd spend some time with Murphy, trying to convince him to come with me, though it was hard to read what he was thinking. Honestly, I was beginning to think it was down to his parents more than anything, since they seemed to have a tight hold of him, even now that he was considered an adult. Nisbeth seemed to be pretty down over the prospect of me leaving so early, though wondered whether it was more down to be doing a lot of fishing for him. I had become a little better at accessing and using the psionic plane, but I was apparently only at the level of a four year old according to my teacher, but with the weapon, it wouldn't matter. Seemed like life was just passing time by until the exam and the date where I leave Serenity behind me. Sarah saw me a couple of times, and I was thankfully able to hold back her advances subtly by saying I wasn't one for public affection and saying I was busy most of the day. I wasn't lying to her either, since I was juggling school, studying and fishing throughout my life here. Still, I'd hopefully never have to deal with her again unless she was into me so much that she'd follow me all the way to Newer Orleans. I just hoped this would all turn out for the best...

"So, you'll be leaving tomorrow then, huh? It's decided that you're going to be heading out to Newer Orleans this early in the morning?" Nisbeth asked as we both awoke really early on the day of my exam.

"Yep. Look, I really like you, and I'll always consider you a good friend, but you know why there's nothing for me here. As I said before, I couldn't live with myself if I gave up searching for Melinda, or at the very least finding out what happened to her." I said somewhat sadly to Nisbeth as he held my shoulders in both hands.

"Are you absolutely sure you want to go? It's not safe out there, and I'd feel terrible letting you go after saving your life about a week ago. How will you afford to keep yourself away from home? What if you fail your exam again?" He asked as I shook my head.

"I've already decided, and anything that I can't plan in detail, well...I'll find a way to figure things out." I replied, not really having much faith in myself. Honestly, if it weren't for Melinda being here, I would consider just settling here for now until I was firmly on my own two feet in this world, but I knew that time wasn't on my side here. They were simply risks I had to take.

"Well, I'll come with you to the exam." He said as I smiled slightly.

"Maybe we can celebrate with a few drinks once they give me my adulthood card? Well, just a couple; I do have a big four days ahead of me." I said, getting my stuff ready for the exam.

"I'll help you pack your stuff before we do that." He said as I nodded at him.

"You know, you've been nothing but solid gold to me ever since I got here, and you didn't have to be. I'll really miss you, you know." I said, pondering my options for a moment. "Or, maybe you won't have to. Nisbeth, you said you once wanted adventure, right? Well, I'm sure you could get some of your old youthful dream if you come with me."

"I really couldn't...I got everything I need in life here." He replied, sounding a little sad. "I could lose that if I leave here though, and I'm not going through all those years of effort to just crash and burn again. Like I said a while ago, it's often just best to sticking to what you have."

"Well, if that's how you feel...but I must say, you're making even my human self sound like a gun-ho risk taker. Still, if you change your mind, please tell me. I'd love nothing more than to roll the bones together, well, aside from finding Melinda and give The Guardian of Forever what he deserves." I replied as we set off into town after a large fish stew and giving the weapon a final check over to ensure it was working. After eating these non-stop for a week, I wasn't going to miss them too much, as they were becoming less and less to my taste each time. Thankfully, today was a little cooler, and I felt confident going into my exam. All in all, things were going really well so far.

"You look like you're in a good mood!" I heard Murphy say, who suddenly appeared out of seemingly nowhere to my right as soon as I arrived on the school grounds.

"Teaching again?" I asked as he shook his head.

"Nah, I came to watch you take your exam!" He said cheerfully as I forced a smile, not feeling too good about all the eyes that would be focused on me.

"I guess exams are normally a public affair then." I replied, looking around at all the people here. Seems like that pancham was also giving the exam a shot this week too from the looks of things. I was soon directed to my desk where I'd proceed to slaughter all of the non-combat exams before me. It felt really quite patronizing at my age to do simple multiplications and divisions, but if it made me an adult in their eyes, then I was hardly going to complain.

"All right, dear weapon...grant me the ticket to the continent." I muttered to the lifeless object as I stood into the area, or at least it felt like one with dozens of faces looking at me. This time, I wasn't afraid as I stared down my examiner once more.

"Basil, your performance last time was, and lets be honest, pathetic. I'm curious why you spent money on a resit a week later. Did your abilities suddenly have the most monuments development within the history of your species?" The watchog said as I smiled slightly, holding the weapon tightly.

"Nah, not really." I said, shrugging. "Though I did make some good progress."

"What's that thing anyway you're holding? A braixen wand? I doubt that'll do you much good." He said, looking more puzzled than condescending.

"You'll see." I said as the signal was given to start the exam. Instead of fleeing or panicking when my examiner charged at me, I stared him down, casually pointed the weapon right at him, and as soon as he was about two meters away...bang! He was knocked back slightly in surprise from the blast, falling onto his back and repeating 'ow' over and over again in quick succession. The audience gasped, clearly being just as surprised as he was as I could feel their stares upon my fur and skin. It was a pretty weak blast, since I didn't want to cause him serious pain, though he did look quite battered and burnt from the attack.

"What was that?!" He said, looking rather stunned.

"So, did I pass or what?" I asked, still pointing the weapon at him to see if the exam was still on or not.

"Er, I'll discuss this with my colleagues..." He said, walking off to speak with the others as a sea of murmurs from the audience started filling the area. I couldn't make out what any of them were saying, even when I had a look around. I saw one pokemon leave the audience stands, but I couldn't quite make out what it was since it looked like it left in a hurry. They wouldn't dare disqualify me for taking an unconventional approach to this, would they? Regardless, it wasn't like I had much of a choice anyway, and all I could do is sit and wait for their judgement.

"Basil..." The principal said, walking forward towards me before suddenly smiling. "...Your ingenuity allowed you to craft a device to overcome this obstacle, and I am sure it'll allow you to conquer many more. Clearly, it's not the traditional way, but there are many paths to success. You, Basil, you have taken an unconventional road there. Well done – you passed!"

"YES!" I screamed, leaping in the air while clutching the weapon in my right hand before giving it a quick kiss. In mere moments, I'd be handed the key to the country, and there'd no longer be anything holding me back in my search for Melinda! Running over to Murphy and Basil, I leapt up to high-five them so hard that my hand hurt slightly from the impact. The watchog didn't seem to happy about the principal's decision however, but then again, I wouldn't be too happy if I was on the receiving end of this thing. So far, today has gone so well that I didn't even miss the human world that much, though I was starting to wonder how long that could last. As cheap as it was, I could use a nice KFC right now...

"Right, I think that's everything I'll need until I get there." I said, checking my packed bag. Food, water, and a couple of sealed pouches of blasting powder that I extracted from the rest of the plant. I kept the seeds in tact though, since I'd want to investigate them at some point. Grabbing a smaller bag, I fit the weapon inside carefully. It was just as well the bag was long enough to keep it inside!

"Seriously? You're taking that with you? At this rate, you'll end up marrying it!" He asked as I chuckled slightly.

"Well, luck always favours the prepared. What if a bunch of predators try to kill us on the way to town? You might not be able to fend them all off yourself." I said as we left the shack.

"That's never happened in the fourteen years I've lived here." He said, rolling his eyes slightly. "But...I suppose it's not _impossible_."

"Exactly!" I said as we walked back into school, where they finished making my identification.

"Here you go Basil!" The simipour said before handing me my ID card. How quaint, they had to draw a small picture of me since they didn't have photography yet! Well, time to have some fun then!

"Hey Murphy, what you doing here?" I asked, seeing Murphy hang around with the teachers towards the end of their marking session.

"Just thought I'd help them, though I'm not very good at the whole marking exams thing. Well, at least I tried, so you can't say I didn't at least make an effort." He said, looking glad that his session of looking over student papers was over.

"Maybe you should try going to Newer Orleans with me tomorrow morning. You could be left here, regretting you didn't take the opportunity. You know, it's often said that most regrets were over things you _didn't_ do, as opposed to the things that you actually done." I responded. Sure, it was fortune cookie level advice, but I was intending to use every tool in the book short of mean spirited blackmail to get Murphy to come with me. Nisbeth seemed to set in his ways for me to convince, but Murphy didn't seem that way just yet. I think I could still persuade him if I played my cards right.

"I've still not quite decided..." He said, looking away from me briefly.

"So, what's holding you back? I'm pretty sure that deep down, you know you want to go there, and this is the opportunity that you've been waiting for. Do your parents object?" I asked, trying by best to get him to come with me.

"...Yeah, that's mostly it." He said, hesitating on almost every word. I shook my head in disapproval and stood back in his line of sight, getting him to make eye contact with them.

"Fuck 'em! If they are holding you back from your dreams and desires, then tell them to get lost. If they're good people, they'll catch you should you fall, but knowing you, I doubt that you'll need them to do that for you, since I'm sure you'll soar to new heights once you move there. You're a talented guy, Murphy; I know you'll find a way to succeed." I said. I must admit, I did feel a little guilty when I spewed all those hollow words of encouragement at him. Most of it was bullshit, but then again, maybe it wasn't. I considered him a friend, but when I took a mental step back to look at things, I've only known him for a week, not to mention he was distrustful of humans. To be honest with myself, I was kind of just using him for company and protection to an extent, which wouldn't have bothered me if he wasn't being friendly to this otherworldly refugee. No, this was for his own good too – I was helping him.

"Well...I suppose I could sneak out if I really, really wanted to..." He said slowly, still looking uncomfortable at the idea.

"Trust me Murphy, you won't regret it; I won't let you regret it. The sooner you start, the more time in your life you'll have to enjoy the life you truly deserve." I said firmly. "Meet me at the East side of town at just before sunrise tomorrow, ok? You won't let me down, will you?"

"...Ok. I...I'll do it!" He said, sounding more confident. Honestly, I'm a little surprised that it worked. He only knew me for about a week, and he was going along with me on my journey! I doubt I'd have done the same thing in his shoes; I'd have just stayed put in Serenity for a year or so to stash away enough cash to cushion myself in case things go wrong, but if he was going to be as headlong about his desires as I was, I wasn't going to complain!

"Wonderful! This will be an amazing trek together! I'm sure we can both find a place to live together!" I said happily as I looked over to the hills and mountains to the East. "Think you'll have time for a couple of drinks to celebrate my adulthood before we set off tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I guess so." He said, still sounding unsure of his impending journey. All I'd need to do is to keep him from doing a u-turn, and the way to Newer Orleans would become a lot easier, not to mention far less boring! Well, time to have some fun now, as I had more than one reason to celebrate!

"I'm an adult now, so lemme in, won't ya?" I said, showing the bouncer my identification as he let Nisbeth, Murphy and I in. Thankfully, there was no sign of Sarah anywhere, so I wouldn't have to try and get her to leave me alone. I spent a lot of time speaking to some of the locals to try and fish some conversation about them regarding the road to Newer Orleans. The road was apparently rocky in more ways than one, with attacks from savages being rather frequent. The path itself was said to be constantly ascending and descending, making it an exhausting walk that was sure to take the breath out of people who make the long trek. Well, no one said that it would be easy, but I knew that I was at least capable of making it there, especially as I heard that there was nothing overly out of the ordinary en route, at least as far as this world is concerned. No rock climbing, or anything like that.

Nisbeth seemed to be enjoying himself, as did Murphy, even though I had to tell him not to blab to anyone about the weapon. A couple of people here had already asked me about it as I gave them them the most half hearted, vague answers I could think of. I could feel my reputation getting larger the more I stayed here due to my alien ways, and it made me all the more relieved to know that I was leaving tomorrow.

"Just getting a bit of fresh air, I'll be back in about ten minutes or so." I said after finishing my second drink, which felt like the equivalent of six back home. Needless to say, I was rather buzzed as I gulped down a quick glass of water to clear my head before walking outside. It wasn't as stuffy as it was outside as I felt a nice, night-time breeze on my face to help centre my slurring mind firmly back to reality. I considered having a third drink afterwards, but the last thing I wanted was to be hungover tomorrow morning. I needed to be as ready as I could be, and while I was having a good time, I had bigger priorities. I decided to go back and tell the other two that I was going home, but as soon as I decided that, I heard some call me from across the street.

"Ah, 'Fawlty Brush', it's been a while." I said as I looked over to see that monferno. My pulse quickened as I had to restrain myself from showing signs of hatred and disgust towards this Pale Communion member. Right, I'd just need to get her to go away for the night, and I should be clear of her. Shouldn't be too hard.

"Hey there. I've not seen any trace of humans by the way, though I did see an odd statue at the top of Young'un's Hill. Maybe that has something to do with it. Made any progress yourself?" I said, keeping my voice low so no one would overhear us. I just needed to play the part for a couple of minutes, then I'd be free. I slowly walked back towards the bar in such a way that would make me look like I was casually walking without looking like I was trying to get rid of her, but she seemed intent on slowing me down.

"You know, Basil, that was a very interesting contraption you had at the exam." She responded, clearly finding out about my name.

"Yeah, what of it? Had a braixen help me make it." I said before she cut me off.

"So, let me get this straight...a strange man from Conviction shows up here out of nowhere, who seems to have no idea of any culture from across the entire world, is completely inept at combat, so he develops a tool to compensate. Something tells me that you're far more foreign than you're letting on...human!" She said, accusing me while pointing in my direction dramatically.

"You dare accuse me of being one of these invaders?! Preposterous! Why would we want to cause infighting among our ranks?!" I said with a firm hiss in my voice, trying to turn the situation on her, but it seemed like nothing would persuade her as she glared at me.

"Liar! Human! Die!" She yelled as she inhaled, getting ready to smother me in searing flames. I immediately started to flee, dashing round the corner as I felt the heat from the fire behind me as they narrowly missed my body. My body shook with fear and my flight instincts revved themselves into their highest gear as I started fleeing towards the busier part of town. I couldn't run back towards the bar, as she had chased me away from it. If I were her, I'd try to keep me from getting the public's attention, so having me being able to escape to the town centre would end her plans. Seems like she was thinking on the same wavelength as she pursued me in such a way that kept me from reaching the safer centre of Serenity.

After dashing round another corner, I felt another stream of fire slowly miss me as I began to realise something horrible. The weapon – if it was ever exposed to naked flames, the entire thing could explode! The thing that protected me the most recently could be the death of me, as all that blasting powder exploding all at once could be strong enough to rip my body limb from limb! Also, the weapon was only effective at fairy short ranges, and as long as that murderous bitch was still pursuing me, she'd be able to strike with a flamethrower attack before I could get close enough to blast her! What could I do?!

"I can outrun you! I can outfight you! I'll stop you from taking the lives of anyone else! This is for Louis!" She declared as I took off my bag and threw it away in the nearby bushes before the flames could connect. I shrieked loudly in agony as my body was briefly exposed to the inferno as I tumbled down the slope to the left, my singed body amplifying the pain of getting poked and cut by all the branches that I crashed though. It felt like my entire frame was being stabbed by a thousand needles in every single direction as I lay down in the large bush I landed in. It couldn't end like this! Was I not even capable of getting out of Serenity?! No, there had to be a way out of this somehow! I couldn't fend her off with the psionic plane, I didn't have the weapon, and my body was drowning in a sea of searing pain. What cards did I have left?! Just the one – I don't think she knew exactly where I was.

"I'll find you, human! I'll present your head to our leaders! I'll make you give Louis back to me, one way or another!" She yelled as I heard her coming closer. Sooner or later, she'd find me, and I was in no shape to flee in my current state, so what could I do now? It was a desperate move that'd probably fail, but ultimately, I could think of nothing better at this moment. My very life was banking on this working! I accessed the psionic plane and focused on a tree branch in the darkness as far away as I could grasp. It was thin and easily snappable, that is, if I was holding it physically. I had to make it snap to misdirect her, and only then could I get enough space to get out of here. Maybe I could buy enough time to get a hold of the weapon and hide once more, making getting a shot on her a real possibility. Feeling the thin branch in the psionic field, I felt for a possible weakness, and soon enough, I felt a part where some fungi had been eating away. Straining my power I was able to finish the fungi's job as I was able to break it with an audible snap as it fell to the ground.

"You can't run forever!" She yelled as she ran towards the fallen branch. Yes, it worked! Next step – put pain at the back of my mind and retrieve the weapon and get back into hiding! I swiftly crawled out of the bush and started running up the slope as fast as my leg muscles would allow me to. It felt like my entire body was on fire, in more ways than one as I tried to make as little noise as possible, but it was not enough as I heard the monferno shriek in anger as she blew some more fire in my direction. The thick tree behind me sheltered me from the worst of it, but I knew she'd be in hot pursuit, so I had to move quickly and decisively. As much as I wanted to gasp for breath, I couldn't breathe too loudly to avoid giving myself away completely once I was in hiding once more. Question was, could I get the weapon and hide among the bushes and trees on the other path in time?

Running across the path, I leapt over the bush with my bag in it, grabbing it as I landed awkwardly on the slop as I tumbled down, my skin getting a second battering as I started to feel it bleed and blister in several different places due to all the punishment it was receiving. I didn't have time to consider whether I'd be in good enough shape to leave Serenity tomorrow at this rate as I heard her shriek in blood-lust as her will to see me end in a bloody and fiery fashion was completely undeterred. Hiding behind a large tree, I quietly climbed up a couple of the low hanging branches and stood very still. Would she expect me to take shelter up a tree? Or would she expect me to hide in another bush? I was so afraid that I felt like I was tasting blood in my mouth, and I felt so battered that I couldn't tell whether said blood was actually there or not.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her check every nearby bush with a burst of fire, incinerating each and everyone without mercy or hesitation. Trying to control my fearful shivering, I silently opened my bag and held the weapon in both of my arms firmly as I leaned against the thick tree. I had to take her down somehow, but if she saw me and was able to burn the weapon, the explosion would surely end my life prematurely! I swallowed my saliva as I kept telling myself to avoid entering a blind panic, much to the protest of several factions of my mind and body. Would she think of looking up? An upwards jet of fire answered that question as I saw her burn some low hanging branches on another large tree. May darkness and deceit conceal me once more...

Using the psionic plane once more, I rustled the leaves in a bush just ahead of me, trying to do so in such a way that would suggest that I was making an attempt to flee. Now, if she'd just step close enough, I could jump down and blast her and end this game of cat and mouse! My body shuddered in fright and anticipation as she took a few steps forward to set fire to the hapless bush. She wasn't speaking at all now, and from what I could see, her expression over time had turned from dramatic anger to a tranquil gaze, as if her entire body and mind was solely devoted to turning me into a charred corpse. Come on, just one step closer...

That was it, my opportunity! As soon as she took another step towards the bush, I was close enough to make my attack! I leapt down from the tree and prepared to utterly ruin her with a blast from the largest deposit of powder. I triggered the explosion with a tiny amount of psychic power as I fell right behind her, giving her a most painful lesson in human ingenuity! She gave one more furious shriek as her body was briefly wrapped by the explosion before she collapsed on the ground just in front of my feet. Was it over? Was she moving? I stood there, still shivering with all the adrenaline that was still pumping through me, and by this point, my nerves were starting to numb themselves to all the pain they had to endure. I still pointed the weapon at her as she pathetically gasped for breath, but I was suddenly distracted by three shapes in the forest moving towards me quickly. The police? More Pale Communion members? Taking a couple of steps back to look at all four of them, I was faced with another pressing question – could I even take the chance that these guys would be on my side. Raising the weapon, I pointed it in their general direction as the forest continued to burn around me as the three burly pokemon revealed themselves to me, and I didn't recognize a single one of them.

"Friend...or foe?"


	10. Marathon

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 10: Marathon

"Right, what's going on here?!" A burly nidoking said deeply. He looked like he was the leader of the trio, as the other two pokemon flanked him from either side. I stared at them, still pointing the weapon in their direction just in case they tried anything funny.

"I was attacked by her! She tried to kill me! She's a member of the Pale Communion! She thought I was human!" I yelled back at them. I knew there'd be no chance of me being able to take all three of them on at once, and I was wondering if the weapon would even be all that effective against foes with such tough hides. "She caused this forest fire!"

"Sounds just like what the witness said. You two, get this pair out of the burning forest! I'll get Austin and Coraline to help put out this fire before to spreads too far." The nidoking announced as I figured it was best to comply. If these guys were also part of the Pale Communion, then my assailant would have surely told them before trying to hunt me down. I put the weapon back in the bag before I was escorted swiftly out by a pinsir as I noticed that filthy cultist was being carried out by a rhydon.

"How'd you find us?" I asked when we were clear of the rising flames, my body still covered in stabbing pains as every branch and bush suddenly felt a lot sharper than usual as I brushed past them.

"A few people in the houses on the outskirts of Serenity saw you being chased by her. Can't believe that Maude was part of the Pale Communion this entire time though!" He replied as we swiftly walked back into town.

"So what'll happen now? Oof, I feel terrible..." I said, lightly touching my burns and cuts. Sure, they were painful, but there didn't seem to be any serious wounds. It could make the next couple of days really uncomfortable, but all things considered, I could probably still walk fair distances if I wanted to. Would it be worth it to wait a day here to rest and recover? I guess I'll see how I feel in a few hours.

"There'll be a quick trial, but from what I've seen, you'll be fine." He said before looking at the bag. "I heard you made some sort of device to defend yourself. Mind if I have a look at it."

"Well, if you're a cop, then I don't think I have much of a choice." I said, taking it out of the bag. I held it in front of him, but I didn't give him my only real means of defence. He scrolled his eyes up and down it carefully a few times before looking at me.

"Looks like a braixen wand." He said as I nodded.

"I modified one." I replied, deciding to be honest. I gauged that these guys weren't part of the Pale Communion, or at the very least didn't tie my invention to my human origins, so it was probably better telling them instead of adding another thread to the mass web of lies I had already spun.

"Seems like a crazy invention from Syrinx. Please stay; Broussard needs more inventors. We've already lost so many to New Australia." He said, chuckling slightly, seeming to assume I was innocent. I found it a little strange, but given we ran by a few houses with Maude screaming about how she was going to kill me and constantly trying to incinerate my body, it surely must have attracted many witnesses.

"I'm not leaving this continent in a hurry, so don't worry about that." I replied, though I had no idea how long I'd be staying here. Was Melinda on this continent? If not, I'd probably be leaving after searching in every town. If she was here, then I'd probably start looking for The Guardian of Forever. All things considered, I'd be really lucky if they were both here.

"...We find Maude Monferno guilty of the attempted murder of Basil Meowstic." An elderly oranguru said, slamming down the gavel after a quick session in the court. Certainly helps when I had a total of nine witnesses, all of them telling the same story about how I was hunted down. It made me feel quite at home here, and if it weren't for my sister and my kidnapper, I could probably settle here quite happily for a few months until I can start figuring out a way to get back to my own world. The struggling Maude was dragged out by a couple of beefy pokemon, still clearly in a lot of pain from being blasted badly at the back of her head. I had no sympathy for her whatsoever, as I hoped that she'd get the punishment she deserves.

"Basil, you're ok!" Murphy said, running over to hug me like he usually does, but upon seeing that my skin was still pretty tender, he decided against carrying out the cuddle.

"Mostly, it still kind of hurts. I think I'll be fine by tomorrow morning though, and if I'm not, well...I'll be going anyway." I said as Nisbeth joined the two of us.

"Are you sure? I mean, we don't have to leave right then." Murphy said as Nisbeth looked over me, not looking too pleased.

"Are you going to journey out to Newer Orleans like that? Really Basil?" He said, shaking his head at me.

"Yup." I responded simply as I looked up into his disproving eyes. "Are you going to stop me?"

"From making a potentially fatal mistake? Quite possibly!" He said sternly at me, his gaze not wavering at all.

"Oh, can you not just be happy that I'm alive? Besides, I managed to deal with her. Clearly, I'm actually more cut out for dealing with the dangers around here than any of us expected." I said, shuddering slightly. Now that things had really settled in, this was the second time this world almost got me killed. Needless to say, I missed the security and safety of my home world. "Well, can you at least help me heal these burns? Any good medicinal stuff around here?"

"I reckon they sell burn treatments at the pharmacy. They usually open late, so I'd imagine they'd still be open. They also do quick check-ups for a price/" He responded.

"Well what are we waiting for then?! Let's go there now! ...Where is it again?" I asked, suddenly feeling a bit dense.

"I'll take you there now." He said, leading us over. The check-up wasn't cheap unfortunately, but the news was at least good.

"All the cuts are minor, and it seems like you got quite lucky, as your burns are pretty minor. If I were to guess, I'd say the monferno only barely hit you with her blast of flames." The doctor said after a quick examination. "I'd suggest taking a cool, low pressure shower to help sooth your skin. I'll also sell you some specialist dressings for you to apply afterwards."

"Strange question, but is attempted murder, er, common around here?" I said as she looked rather offended.

"Of course not! This was the first case in almost three years in Serenity!" She replied. So, still a lot more common than back in England then. For a small town, that was pretty bad!

"Oh forgive me sir, it's not like I'm still shaken up from a near death experience that just happened a couple of hours ago!" I retorted, my voice oozing sarcasm from every part of my mouth. "Here's your money for the check-up and the dressing. It lasted less than half an hour so I pay less for it as shown on the terms of service." I said, pressing the doctor's primitive-looking timer for him mere seconds before it hit the the thirty minute mark.

"...Very well." The audino said, grumbling as I gave her the money. I signalled to Basil and Nisbeth that I'd be taking a quick shower before heading off home as. I hid the weapon in one of the lockers, not even trusting Nisbeth with it before turning on the old creaky shower. The cold water stung a bit, but it shortly felt soothing as I swore I could feel my body heal. My fur didn't feel good when it was soaking wet though as my entire body felt heavier after a mere moment in the shower. Regardless it did give me time to think on the next few days ahead of me.

With the weapon by my side, I could stand up to most threats, and assuming Murphy doesn't back out at the last second, I'd be well protected. Short of an entire mob hounding us, I felt confident we could make it there. This would be a real test of fitness on my part, and I was starting to wonder whether sheer willpower would carry me that far. I was never much of an outdoors guy, so this could really take it out of me. Still, I couldn't afford to just stay here. Sooner or later, I'd have to make the journey, and all things considered, I'd rather do it sooner or later. I didn't know how much longer Melinda could survive here, nor was I sure how long I would for that matter. I knew that it would be safer and more sensible to stay put, but I didn't have that luxury. Life was forcing my hand, and I couldn't go folding now. I had already packed everything I needed. I was prepared for this. All I could do now was to give it my best shot, and never give in.

"So, Murphy, ready for our journey tomorrow?" I asked with a smile. He looked pretty unsure about all of this when I asked him this as he gestured me to follow him for a little private talk.

"Listen Basil, I'm not so sure about this." He said as I widened my eyes in surprise and shock.

"...Explain..." I said firmly, folding my arms.

"Well, while I'd love to go there and be an actor, I'm not sure I'm ready just yet. I'm not in a huge rush to achieve my goals and stuff like that. I'm only seventeen, I still have plenty of time. Besides, my parents would be really upset." He said as I rolled my eyes.

"I already know about all that, but you were still up for going in spite of that. What's changed?" I said as he shyly looked away from me.

"Oh, I know you won't want to hear this...Basil, with what just happened with you, it seems like some people think you might be..." He said before looking around to make sure no one was nearby. "...Might be a human." He continued in a low whisper.

"But I'm not!" I protested, though I was clearly missing the point.

"Look, I know this might sound quite horrible, but...but it could be very dangerous for me to go on this journey with you. If they think you're a human, then they'll probably try to kill you at the first opportunity they get. It could make it very dangerous for me too. What if they target me too for associating myself with you? We'd be alone and vulnerable outside of town. Listen, I think this is all a bad idea. We should stay here where it's safe for now." He said as a sad frown started appearing on my face then.

"So, just like Nisbeth then..." I muttered, looking away from him. "You know, I really thought I could count on you Murphy. In spite of only knowing you for about a week, I put faith in you, but it seems like it was misplaced. Well, if that's the way it's going to be, then I'll just have to brave this dangerous journey alone then."

"Basil, please don't." He said sadly, putting his hand on my shoulder and looked down at me. "I'd hate for anything to happen to you. Don't throw yourself into the fire like this."

"Consider this, Murphy. Unless she gets executed really quickly by the authorities, she'll have a chance to tell other Pale Communion members that I'm human. Now, it seems unlikely that there are other members here, though I can't be too sure about this, but if any of them come by and see her in a containment cell, she can tell them about me. As a result, they'll come running for my blood. Suppose we leave just before dawn as we originally planned; if any of them do swing by Serenity and see Maude, then by the time she tells them about me, we'll be long gone. No one has to know we even left here. If they really wanted to see me dead, then they'd find a way to do it in Serenity anyway. When it comes down to it, no place is safe now. Whatever's out there, it can't be much worse than being a sitting duck, waiting for the Pale Communion to find me. That is why I'm going, Murphy. If you want to come, then we'd be safer together, but I can't make you. On the other hand, not keeping to your word..." I said, my voice lowering on my last sentence as I shook my head.

"I see...ok Basil, I'll ask you one more question. I can see where you're coming from. I get why you're in a hurry now, but you seemed to be in a hurrier before she tried to kill you. Why is that?" He said as I started sweating slightly. How could I worm my way out of this one?

"Well, I already saw her a few days ago. She told me she was part of the Pale Communion and she seemed to regard me with suspicion. As I said, my extended family live somewhere in State Broussard, and they all kind of act a bit...kooky, according to my closer blood relations, not too unlike myself. What if the way they act attract the Pale Communion? They could be in danger too, and I can't just sit here." I said firmly, not wanting to reveal any lack of confidence. "Murphy, your dreams will be stillborn if you just sit here. If we leave as planned, then we'll probably avoid them completely. Besides, can you truly be happy with yourself going back on your word and leaving a friend to the dangers of the wilderness?" I continued, using every dirty, underhanded element of persuasion I knew to try and get Murphy to go with the plan.

"...Ok, I'll come." He said, still sounding unsure. It was clear I was manipulating him beyond his comfort zone, but he can thank me later for kick-starting his ambitions in life.

"Ok, just before dawn at the path away from here that leads to Newer Orleans. Don't be late!" I said, smiling as I went to rejoin Nisbeth. I happily waved Murphy goodbye, though his wave didn't have nearly as much enthusiasm as mine.

"Still persuading him to go with you I assume?" Nisbeth asked as we walked back home together. "You know, I really can't blame him for being so hesitant."

"Well, yeah. He's coming." I said simply as we arrived back in the shack as I rechecked to make sure I had everything I needed. My large backpack was completely stuffed and pretty damn heavy. It would be tough enough walking for four days straight without carrying that thing around! "You absolutely sure you don't want to come? I mean, it could be dangerous, and you once had a head for thrusting yourself into peril as a wannabe adventurer back in the day."

"And risk losing everything I have?" He said as I looked around the shack.

"'Everything you have'...huh. Nisbeth, you're a tough, smart guy. Read my lips – you can do better than this! Let's face it, this place is a dump compared to the houses in the town!" I said, and, predictably, he looked a little offended. "Yeah, 'after I saved your life and took you in' and all that jazz...do you think I'd even bother to say this sort of stuff if I wasn't your friend? If I didn't genuinely care about you, I wouldn't even care that you're not living up to your potential. It actually kind of upsets me that you're squandering your talents and qualities by living in this shithole, fishing away all day while struggling to meet end's meet. You're in your late thirties, you life is almost half over! Can you really say that you're completely happy doing this all your life?"

"Yep." He said casually as I flopped down onto my mattress.

"...That makes me sad." I said simply, looking away from him.

"Want to know what makes me sad? The fact that you're so willing to throw yourself into danger when you haven't fully recovered over someone who, let's face it, you probably won't find." He said, folding his arms while standing in front of me.

"Hey, we can't all be content to live lives on our arses all the time!" I retorted, sitting upright to look at him.

"You're an intelligent guy, usually. Surely you can see that you'll be incredibly vulnerable to being assassinated by that cult out there, can't you? You almost met your end by the hands of one of them a couple of hours ago, and you're still going?" He said, looking rather exasperated.

"Yeah, and if I stay here, they'll know where I am if Maude spills the beans. To think, if they come here to try and kill me, do you think they'll just leave you alone? Do you think they want witnesses? Do you think they'll take kindly to 'human sympathizers'? Trust me, for a safer, more comfortable life, you should probably come with me." I said, trying to convince him that I was right. He looked away from me and out of the window and sighed.

"You may be right. I could be an enemy of the Pale Communion now. I was always disgusted by them, but I never thought I'd ever be on their bad side since I wasn't a human." He said before turning to look at me, though he didn't seem to want to make eye contact. "So, it seems like my life could be in danger at worst case scenario. I'll be honest with you Basil; if I knew it could lead to all this...I might have just let nature take its course."

"What?! You're saying that you wish that you'd have just let the swampert eat me alive?!" I said, suddenly standing up out of shock and anger. "...Fuck you...that's, uh, that's all I really have to say."

"I didn't mean that!" He protested, his voice getting a little higher as he gestured me to calm down.

"Yeah? Then what did you mean by nature taking its course?" I said, narrowing my eyes as I glared at him.

"Ok, it was a poor choice of words. I guess what I was meant to say was that I probably wouldn't have took you in if I thought the Pale Communion coming after me was a real possibility." He said as part of me wanted to laugh at this.

"I said I was a human. Surely you knew the risks! Still, I really must ask you this – did you ever really consider me as a friend? I'll have you know I truly thought of you as one." I said as I felt increasingly disgusted as I uncovered more shit from Nisbeth.

"I do, I swear!" Nisbeth insisted, but I shook my head at this.

"But you'd leave me for dead, wouldn't you. How can I be sure I wasn't just some spice in your life that you spat out when I got too hot for you?" I said as I found Nisbeth chuckling at this.

"Really, you go for an awkward metaphor like that? Seriously, that sounds a bit, uh...wrong." He replied as I realised he was right, though it came across as an attempt to distract me.

"Stay on point Nisbeth!" I protested when he cut me off.

"Basil, if you stay, I'll protect you. I'll admit, maybe this isn't exactly what I wanted, but I already made the choice to let you stay with me. I'll live with those choices and do the right thing, but if you decide to leave, well...I won't stop you. I...I'll still really miss you though. Sorry, I'm just feeling terrible over the whole incident now. If you leave and they come for me, I'll say you went over to Bonnieport to mislead them." He said, sounding quite sad over the whole talk. "Other than that, I'll just go about my old life I guess, just like I wanted."

"Well, if you really insist in not taking this journey with me, then...fine, I'll stop trying to pester you into taking it." I said, climbing back into my bed.

"I'll say goodbye when we wake up." Nisbeth said, getting into his own bed. "Goodnight Basil." He said as night seemed to pass very slowly. I must have woke up about five times that night, constantly occupied with the thoughts of the immediate future. Was I ready for this? It wasn't important. I just had to find a way to get there in order to find Melinda. If I couldn't even get to Newer Orleans, then what chance did I have of being able to go around the world?

"Well, farewell Basil. Think we'll ever see each other again?" Nisbeth asked as we both got up shortly before dawn.

"It's hard to say really. Who knows what will happen once I find her? Maybe we'll both go back to our own world once we find The Guardian of Forever, or maybe our search and travels will bring us back to Serenity. If that happens, we'll be sure to visit." I said, feeling a little sad myself.

"Hug?" He said, offering one with outstretched arms. Yeah, getting hugged by a two legged frog over twice my size was strange, yet it felt overly appropriate right now.

"Eh, why not." I said as he picked me up and squeezed me gently.

"Don't go getting yourself killed now!" He said, smiling as I opened the door.

"I've actually got two friends that'll look out for me; Murphy, and this baby right here." I said, gesturing to the weapon. "I think I'll be fine." I said as I waved him farewell and made my own way through the swamp. By now, I had little fear of this place, and I wasn't remotely as twitchy as I used to be as I strolled right on through it, over the hill and across to the other side of town. Seems like everyone was still asleep, as I didn't see a single soul wander the streets. I saw the sky ahead of me slowly turn from black to a dull shade of blue as I stood around, waiting for Murphy. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait too long as I saw him bounding my way with an enormous backpack.

"Am I late?" He asked as I shook my head.

"Nah, I've only been here for five minutes." I replied, looking at the road ahead of us.

"It was so hard trying to hide my plans from my parents while packing all this stuff, but I did it! So, shall we go now?" He said as I smiled.

"It's about time!" I replied as we set off, leaving the small town behind. It wasn't long before the sun started peeking over the hills and mountains before us, shedding light to the road ahead. The river soon joined us to our left as we found ourselves flanked and sheltered by small trees to the right, creating a nice, pleasant atmosphere for the first couple of hours.

"You know, I feel really bad for leaving without saying a word to my parents. All I did was leave a note under my bed, telling them where I was going and why." He said, sighing sadly. "By the time they find it, it'll be too late for them to try and stop me. Oh, I feel horrible for them..."

"They'll understand in time Murphy." I said, trying to make him see the best out of the situation. "And, in time, they'll be proud of you for making the bold leap. Y'know, seizing your goals and dreams in life. No one said it would be easy or that it wouldn't involve sacrifices, but the journey and the prize...trust me, it'll be worth it."

"I guess when you put it that way...still, what if things go wrong?" He asked as I patted him on the back.

"Obstacles are tests, Murphy. They are there to see how much you really wanted to become an actor. If you are going to let setbacks dissuade you, then perhaps you never wanted it that much to begin with. However, I think it'd be a great shame if someone as enthusiastic and talented as you were put off so easily." I replied. I was fully aware I was just spouting hollow fortune cookie level advice, but regardless, he seemed to be eating it up. I had to keep him motivated, for his own good as well as my own. That being said, I really hoped that he was as into this as he looked. If he wasn't, then all this was down to me pressuring him into going to Newer Orleans with me. I liked the guy, and I'd probably feel bad if things went to shit for him, but a friend like him who made life easier for me here when he didn't have to...I'd happily support him in any way I could. "Don't worry, I'll be around if you need me."

"Thanks Basil." He said as the path started to become a little rockier and hillier. "Wonder how we'll do once we get there."

"Well, we'll both need to find a place to rent and jobs to keep paying for the time being. Still, you'll have plenty of time to practice your act in between all that stuff, and when you start reeling in the cash, then we'll have nothing to worry about." I said, pretending to know more than I really did. I really started to feel bad for him as I climbed up the steep slope behind him. I had been perpetually lying to his face ever since I met him, and yet, I felt as though I had to. When I thought about it, Murphy deserved better. I felt confident that he wasn't a part of the Pale Communion, so I'd probably be safe revealing my identity as a human, but on the other hand, he was open about his distrust of them. After managing to get him to come along with me, revealing I was human would be incredibly jarring anyway. No, I'd keep it to myself until I felt as though he could handle the truth.

Once we trekked between the hills, the afternoon came into full swing. The sun was held back by the clouds as they sheltered us from the worse of that great star's wrath, much to my pleasure, but to Murphy's disappointment. These strange creatures were able to get some energy from the sun by holding up their frills to it, though it usually wasn't worth it unless they were getting an intense blast. Climbing down the rocky slope, I almost stumbled as Murphy caught me just as I started to fall face first down the hazardous slope. It was a little embarrassing, but then again, I guess I never quite got used to be short legs.

"Thanks buddy." I said, smiling at him as we rejoined the river upon reaching the smoother, lower terrain. The journey so far was both relaxing and invigorating. Needless to say, if I could exercise like this whenever I wanted to, I'd be far fitter than I am right now!

"Down by the end, round by a corner! Close to the edge, down by a river!" I sung to myself as I walked close by the riverbank. Helped make things a little more cheerful, as hours of walking was starting to become a little tiring, both physically and mentally.

"What are you on about?" Murphy asked as I looked at him.

"Just singing to myself." I said as I noticed him staring at me as if I had kicked someone's pet. "...Is something bad about that? Did I trample over some cultural norm here?"

"...You're...weird." He said as I shook my head.

"So singing's strange? Sorry I'm not great at staying in tune! Just helps me pass the time, ok?" I said, sighing as I pressed onwards with Murphy walking in front of me.

"No, really, you're strange. I'll admit, I don't know many people from Conviction, but they were nothing like you." He said, looking over his shoulder to see me as we pressed on.

"Murphy, it takes all sorts to make a world. You should try it sometime! Besides, I think you're kind of odd being so huggy and upbeat upon merely seeing me, but I never questioned it." I replied as he looked a bit guilty.

"Well, I suppose, but still...look, for your own sake, you really need to try and stand out less. I'm sure you can figure out why that is." He said as I nodded.

"I've been trying my best buddy, even before the Pale Communion started targeting me. It's not easy when I've never been to State Broussard you know." I replied, chuckling slightly.

"Well, I suppose I can see where you're coming from. Still, can't really blame the Pale Communion for thinking that you're a human in disguise in a way, given you show up out of nowhere and couldn't fight until you invented a tool to help you with it. I did hear that humans were experts at making things to help them in all aspects of life." Murphy said, as I gave him an odd look.

"You never suspected me of actually being one of them, right?" I asked as he laughed slightly.

"Not exactly, but among all the people I know, if one of them was secretly a human, it'd probably be you." He said, smiling as he teased me.

"Didn't you say that you didn't trust them or something?" I asked as he thought about it for a moment.

"Yeah, I did. Who knows what they want? Until that time, we should be real cautious of them I reckon. Could be planning something bad for all we know. I understand why the Pale Communion are so afraid of them, but I really think they're being really stupid for hunting them down. Do you think they'll take kindly to thus?" He replied as he helped me climb over a huge fallen tree. There hadn't been much wind ever since I came here, so I assumed it had fallen quite a while ago.

"There's probably many sorts of humans, much like there's many sorts of pokemon. Probably shouldn't sweep them all into one category. Maybe they're just lost explorers or something." I said as Murphy seemed to think on it for the rest of the day. The sun started to set behind us, our bodies casting long shadows on the road ahead as we began discussing places to camp. It didn't take long to find a sheltered area, flanked by trees on the left and a small cliff on the right. This looked ideal, as the humongous broad leaves looked like they could shelter us from any rain. After setting up my rather tiny tent, I lied down on the ground near the fire that Murphy had just set up.

"Missing Serenity?" Murphy asked as I shook my head from the other side from the dim, yet steady fire.

"Not really, though I kind of wish Nisbeth was here." I replied, getting some food out of my bag to toast above the cracking flames.

"Lemme guess, you tried talking him into coming along too, right?" He said while laughing, as if it was a joke. I, however, rather solemnly shook my head.

"I did actually. He told me he tried to be some kind of adventurer when he was younger, but gave up since he kept failing, mostly due to the demand for those sort of guys diminishing over the years. I told him that this would be another great opportunity for him, but alas, he was too comfortable where he was to leave. I think it's a shame when people don't live up to their potential. It's partially why I badgered you into coming along with me, since I thought that a chance like this wouldn't come around again for quite some time. You are happy you came, right?" I asked, wanting to make sure he was doing fine. I'll admit, I was kind of using him for protection and company, but I liked the guy. I wanted to make sure he was happy and that he was in a position to achieve his goals in life.

"...Yeah, I am." He said as I gave him a boiled potato. "Oh, we should take turns sleeping in case anyone or anything gets too nosey during the night."

"Good thinking. I think we've been really lucky to have not been attacked by some of the local wildlife for an entire day so far, but I can't imagine that lasting the entire trip." I said, looking at the map. Seems like we were just under a quarter of the way there, but the last stretch was all on a mild downwards slope, which would make for some real easy walking. "Mind if I sleep first? I'm completely knackered."

"Of course. You look rather beat, even though I was slowing down a lot for you." He said, smiling as I rubbed my feet. Now that I had stopped and thought about them, they were rather sore from all the time they carried me over the rough terrain, and tomorrow didn't look like it would offer them any mercy. Finishing off our meals I lied back next to Murphy as I looked at the night sky. I couldn't recognize a single constellation whatsoever, as they all formed unrecognisable patters in the air. Where would Earth be among the vast cosmos out there? Did I go to a different part of the galaxy? Was I half way across the universe? Or was I somewhere else entirely? Was Melinda even on this planet? It suddenly made me feel very lonely, in spite of Murphy being here with me.

"Something wrong Basil?" He asked as I snapped out from my daydream and back into reality.

"Nah, just tired. I'm off inside my tent. Wake me up in a few hours and I'll do my shift. Goodnight." I said, crawling inside my tent and falling asleep within a couple of minutes, soothed by the sound of the warm, crackling flames. Even if I felt a bit lonely without some friends closer to home, I at least felt safe with Murphy looking over me. It was hardly comfortable, but my exhaustion made sleep a complete breeze to achieve. I'd have happily slept for over ten hours if it weren't for Murphy suddenly poking me.

"What is it..." I yawned, my eyes flickering open slightly.

"It's been five hours, it's your turn to keep watch." Murphy said, half dragging me out of the tent. Looking at his bloodshot, half open eyes, I couldn't blame him for being a little pushy about the whole thing. I put some more broken branches to keep the fire burning as Murphy fell asleep inside his tent, leaving me alone in the dark wilderness. I sat a fair distance away from the flames, just in case it sparked and hit the weapon as I had a look at my surroundings. I couldn't really see much at all, as the light from the camp-fire couldn't penetrate too much of the darkness, but those crackling flames would function as a pretty bright beacon for those who want to find us.

Gripping the weapon tightly, I patrolled around our little campsite, being unable to keep still. What species of pokemon were out there? Could they be predatory? What about scythers or sceptiles? They'd probably attack and devour a meowstic if given a chance! Why, there had been stories of humans being preyed upon by them on rare circumstances! What if they came from a more mountainous side? Aggrons and tyranitars...could the weapon even do anything to them?! I knew that Murphy would have no problem fleeing, but what about me? I knew Murphy was pretty damn tough, but was he capable of ruining such big, bulky, armoured pokemon?

I couldn't hear much at all aside from the occasional, distinctive hooting of a rowlet in the trees above, but that silence was soon shattered in the most subtle way when I heard someone or something gasping for breath as they pushed through the bushes and branches nearby. Pointing the weapon in the direction of those unwelcome sounds, I held my breath as my eyesight tried to stab their way through the darkness the best they could. It was coming closer! Was it attracted by the camp-fire? I knew I should have just extinguished it!

"...Who goes there?!" I announced firmly after a few tense seconds, mustering up as much confidence and bravado as I could muster.

"I won't hurt you, I promise!" The voice said, sounding very out of place, yet oddly familiar.

"How can I be sure? You don't sound like you're from around here. Who are you? I think I vaguely recognize your voice though..." I replied, still pointing the weapon in front of me.

"The same can be said for you. It's a long shot, but are you Basil?" He said, as it finally clicked in me.

"Danil?!" I whispered loudly as the wartortle came out the bushes. "Fancy bumping into you again. Keep your voice down though, one of my friends is sleeping and while he doesn't like the Pale Communion, he's not big on humans."

"About that...listen, I think I might have made a terrible mistake by bumping into you here." He said, looking serious as he dropped his attempts to mask his thick, Russian accent. "I'm on the run, Basil. They know who I am, and...oh no, I've brought them to you!" He said, his eyes and mouth widening in horror slowly as guilt was evidently overcoming him,

"They won't know that I'm one of them unless they've been to Serenity yesterday. One of them tried to kill me, but was arrested, and she seemed to be the only one staying there. If she got any visitors..." I said slowly. My mouth went dry as Danil nodded, realising I was in far greater danger than I thought.

"Oh no Basil, I'm so sorry! I didn't think I'd ever bump into you all the way out here! I thought you were just some traveller that could help guide me to possible hiding places." He said, still shuddering with sheer guilt. It wasn't his fault really; just a stroke of horrible luck. Regardless, we had to take action somehow.

"Right, let's just focus on what we can do. How far do you think they are away from us?" I asked quickly.

"About one or two hours. I have a good distance, but they'll be able to track me pretty well." He said as I considered my options. In our current situation, fellow humans should stick together. I barely knew the guy, but I did hear that Melinda thought highly of him...I'd brave this danger with him.

"'I'? 'Me'? Danil, we're going together! We'll pack up our stuff, put out the fire and leave as soon as possible! Melinda would never forgive me if I just left her idol to the wolves like that!" I said as I went to wake up Murphy.

"Hey buddy, get up! We're leaving now, and we need to hurry!" I announced, giving him a little shake.

"Huh? It's still dark outside though." He said, sleepily crawling out of his tent.

"I've reason to believe there could be a group of Pale Communion cultists on their way here." I said, speaking quickly as I hastily shoved everything I owned clumsily into my bag.

"Who's that wartortle?" He said, pointing at Danil, who was gesturing us to hurry up.

"The Pale Communion are after him too. They supposedly swung by Serenity yesterday, so chances are Maude told them about me." I said as I saw Murphy's expression change to worry, and then into anger.

"How could you bring them here?!" He said, snarling at Danil before turning to look at me. "If I knew this was going to happen, I would have stayed home!"

"According to him, we have a two hour lead on them. I'd like to keep it that way, so we should get moving right away!" I said, helping Murphy to pack the rest of his stuff away before lighting a torch on the remains of the fire. The heliolisk continued to look more angry than afraid as he extinguished the camp-fire as we set off on a quick pace, showing no warmth to Danil.

"Ahem...listen, Heliolisk, I did not intend to bring them here. It is very big stroke of bad luck that I bumped into someone who that xenophobic cult are also after." Danil said, doing his best to mimic a southern accent.

"...I suppose so...but still, accident or not, you've put all three of us in real danger! Why can't you just go away and deal with the problem yourself?!" He said loudly as I tugged on his arm.

"Get a hold of yourself Murphy! None of us wanted this to happen, but I think our efforts are best focused on trying to stay alive here! Even if they catch up, there's three of us. If push came to shove, we can at least stand up to them unless there's, like, ten of them." I said firmly to Murphy to try and get him to calm down.

"I think there's four of them." He said, still faking the accent. It was a pretty bad impersonation, but Murphy wasn't raising any questions, so no harm done I guess. "Again, I am sorry."

"That apology will be no good if I'm dead!" He said, snarling at Danil before picking up the pace, forcing me to jog to keep up with him.

"Suddenly not so perky now, huh." I muttered, holding my weapon as I saw the sky ahead start to glow, signifying that dawn was approaching.

"Well, it's kind of hard to be when you have some murderers on the way that could kill one of my friends! I don't see why you're standing for this Basil." Murphy said to me, casting another glare at Danil. "Anyway, we'll be traversing a swamp quite soon. Hopefully it'll slow them down more than us."

"So, what's that strange stick? Is it a braixen wand? Don't see how that helps you." Danil said to me quietly so Murphy wouldn't hear after dropping back a bit.

"I modified it with powder from some strange plant native here. I was bad at learning how to fight like a pokemon, so I decided to try fighting like a human. As a result, I made this beautiful thing. It's like a makeshift shotgun. How's it been for you anyway? Think you can stand up to them if it came to blows?" I asked as he looked unsure.

"Well, I was able to fight off one of them yesterday, a sandslash...maybe, so I think I'm good." He said as he began thinking for a moment. "Well, it was a very alien sandslash anyway, if that's what it even was. Covered in ice, and tried to impale me with a big icicle. Ever seen a sand...er 'iceslash' look like that before? Probably due this world. Maybe they're just different here, kind of like their strange looking 'willow' trees."

"Not seen anything like that yet." I said, trying to imagine an icy sandslash. Yeah, kind of doesn't really fit the name anymore, doesn't it.

"Who's that heliolisk you're with anyway? A native?" He asked, still keeping his voice low.

"Yeah, he's called Murphy; befriended him pretty quickly. Excuse him, he's not usually this grouchy. Then again, given the circumstances, I can't blame him. I, er, talked him into making this journey to Newer Orleans with me, saying that it was the only way to realistically achieve his dreams of becoming an actor in theatres. I'll admit, I'm kind of exploiting the poor guy, but...ugh; he's been good to me ever since I came here. I'd go as far as to consider him a friend...if anything really bad were to happen to him because I dragged him this far from home, I'd find it real hard to forgive myself." I said, my voice lowering to a grumbling murmur towards the end of my speech.

"Think he'll stay around once we get there?" He asked as I shrugged.

"I doubt it; I hardly expect him to journey with me afterwards if Melinda's not there. Oh, and keep the whole human thing to yourself around him. While he hates the Pale Communion, he doesn't think much of humans either, and he's on edge enough as it is right now." I warned, still keeping a distance from Murphy as he lead the way at a quick pace. "Were you heading to Newer Orleans before you met us?"

"I figured I might be safer there. I heard there's more than one law enforcement branch there, the less official one being one of these adventurer clubs. I'm going to find them and reveal who I am, and, with luck, they'll take me in and protect me. They also might know something about The Guardian of Forever. I saw they were lead by some ampharos called Charlie, but other than that, I really don't know much about them, so it's a gamble and a half for me. However, if I'm going to find The Guardian of Forever and see what he wants from me – what he wants from us – it's a chance I'll have to take." He said as I cast him a slightly amused look.

"Danil, you barely seem to recognized that he essentially kidnapped you! The only thing he'll be getting once I find him is a series of blasts from the weapon right here!" I said, struggling to not raise my voice as I gestured to the weapon in my hands.

"Did he not tell you that he was essentially begging for otherworldly aid to defend this entire planet?" He asked as he stared at me as we kept up the pace. I couldn't decide whether he was surprised that I didn't know or disgusted that I didn't care, but it was irrelevant regardless.

"Oh, that's real clever of him! Let's just summon a bunch of aliens and turn them into one of the native species! But they have no experience living in those sort of bodies, so they'll be significantly weaker than normal! He's either delusional to the point of being a danger to himself and everyone around him, or he's lying. Either way, he's getting no help from me! As to your question, he never said a thing to me. Just felt myself being dragged into another world as my skin started violently peeling away from my body as flesh and bone started disintegrating." I said, shuddering at the horrific memory of my violent transformation.

"He must have been in a really big hurry then. He didn't have time to give any details when he called out to me. He only said that he needed humans and that the planet was in danger. Didn't have time to tell me what it was from or what we needed to do, since something was supposedly pursuing him." He said as I began thinking about this. What if our captor was correct? What if there was some danger our there?

"...Not my problem." I said bluntly, as Danil gasped slightly in surprise. "My problems are finding Melinda, beating the shit out of my kidnapper, and getting home. He's been real busy reeling in trainers without permission, so I'd say he already had quite an army! Maybe he should have actually _asked_ us if we were desired, y'know, instead of leaving us at the mercy of a paranoid cult!"

"I already told you Basil, he didn't have time to ask." He said before I cut him off again.

"Once again, Danil, it's not my problem. He endangered Melinda, he endangered you, he endangered me, and endangered a whole lot more. For that, quite frankly, he has to pay!" I said, snarling slightly.

"Huh...I wonder what Melinda would do?" He said, narrowing his eyes very slightly at me.

"She'd probably be a complete bleeding heart and enthusiastically go along with it. I've warned her of this attitude several times. It lost her the finals, and if I don't intervene, it's probably going to get her killed in this world! And if this world really is going to kiss its arse goodbye in a few weeks or whatever that bastard said was happening, well, I won't be around to get destroyed with it." I said firmly as he looked away from me slowly.

"...You've seen a lot of people here. Are you truly fine with letting them die?" He said slowly, no longer faking a southern accent.

"Aside from Murphy and Nisbeth...yeah. Don't know them, ergo, I don't really care. It's tragic, sure, but we're clearly not fit to fight asteroids or big massive demons or whatever this bastard's so afraid of. The best thing we can possibly do is to find The Guardian of Forever and get him to send as many locals as he can back home. If he and the natives here can't deal with this threat, then the planet's done for. He's clearly acting out of desperation or insanity, and he's clearly knocked on the wrong door. Danil, as we're fellow humans in this situation right here...chasing this pointless mission will only get you killed. Please realise that this is clearly a lost cause. The planet might not be in any real danger anyway, since from what I've learned, our kidnapper is seven shades of bat-shit crazy. Stay with me, help me find Melinda and let's just all try to go home before this big threat finds us, ok?" I said, trying to reason with him, though, in spite of all that, he still didn't seem convinced.

"If you're fine with not even trying, then so be it. If you can live with yourself knowing that you didn't even try, well, that makes one of us." He said, looking at me as if I had kicked his pet cat to the brink of death.

"What are you two blathering about?" Murphy said loudly as we ran to catch up with him.

"Just about State Broussard in general. Never been here aside from my time in Serenity, and it doesn't seem like you leave that little town very much at all, so I was just asking Danil about it." I said, keeping up my brisk jog. Danil cast me a confused look for a few seconds before I glanced back at him, giving him the message to just go with it.

"I noticed you two dropped back." He said, looking over his shoulder and eyeing me with suspicion.

"Meowstics and wartortles aren't as agile as heliolisks. Forgive us." I said cheekily as the conversations died down as we focused more on keeping up a swift pace. It felt like we were running for hours on end, never stopping, never resting. In hindsight, spending energy and thought on Danil and our differences seemed like a complete waste with the more immediate threat behind us. The sun above started to assault us with seething wrath, wearing and beating down on Danil and I, though, as expected, Murphy thrived in these conditions. The remorseless sunlight was absorbed by the big yellow lizard, as he looked more and more impatient as my jog slowly ground down to a brisk walk. At this rate, I'd run out of water way before I'd reach Newer Orleans, and I'd be forced to drink from the river itself, and I had no idea what things could be lurking in there, both big and small, both living and inanimate.

Eventually, the swamp came into view as the ground got lower and lower towards sea level. If this world had done anything for me, it allowed me to get over my fear of these places, but I wondered if that was necessarily a good thing, or whether it was just down to the weapon. My feet, lungs and muscles were crying out for rest, but I knew that my entire body could suffer a lot more if I gave into their demands. Just had to keep going...

"Think they'd have lost us by now?" Murphy asked as Danil shook his head.

"Doubt it; these people are utter fanatics. The only question is how much time they spend tracking as opposed to running. This swamp might throw them off though." He replied, faking the local accent once more.

"I reckon there'll be some nasty savages in these parts, so be careful." Murphy said as the path started to become a little hard to follow as we entered the rotten swamp. It wasn't much different at all from the place I was living in during the last week, so in a strange way, it almost felt like home. It was quite the blessing that we didn't have to deal with any trouble so far on our journey, but I somehow doubted it would last for too much longer.

"We'll probably have to rest eventually. It's not like we'll be able to make it all the way there in one go without passing out." Danil said, coughing in exhaustion as our footsteps became even heavier due to the soggy ground beneath our feet. With each step, I felt the dirt, mud and goodness knows what else surround my feet with a sickening squelch. I didn't even mind it all that much, but with people out for my blood in pursuit, the conditions here could slow me down. Looking over my shoulder every one in a while, I wondered how much the swamp would hinder them.

The local wildlife, including some pretty fearsome creatures, merely stared at we passed through their territory. They seemed to respect our collective numbers and strength, and recognized that we'd be very difficult prey. Regardless, I kept my eyes sharp and alert, since I wanted to make sure it'd stay that way. I pointed the weapon at a quagsire that was slowly getting too close for comfort, even though I knew that it probably wouldn't recognized the threat that my stick posed. I stared hard at it, ready to fire if it made a sudden move as I huddled behind Murphy, and after a few short seconds, it seemed to get the message and turned around. It looked pretty stupid and animalistic, so I doubted it was one of our pursuers.

"Feeling ok Basil?" Murphy asked as I nodded weakly.

"Kind of...so knackered." I said in barely more than a whisper. I scarfed down a sandwich and washed it down with water, choking slightly as I did so, and add this to the humid, muggy heat assaulting me, I could feel sickness approaching.

"Look, after we leave the swamp, we simply have to rest. I might die of exhaustion or heatstroke at this rate. If they catch us while we're too drained to fight, then we're all going to die anyway." I said, my voice shivering as I considered all the ways my life could end prematurely. I hugged the weapon close to me as if it was my best friend, which in many ways, it was. It was the only thing that I could guarantee cooperation from in this world.

Sunset was starting to approach as we kept pushing through the swamp. Good thing too, since it seems like both Danil and I couldn't cope with the heat for much longer. I started to wonder how far we were away from the Pale Communion by this point. Did we gain ground, or lose it? Really, it depended on them. We ran the marathon of nightmares the best we could, but depending on what species the pursuing members were and their general fitness levels, it may not have even mattered. Still, it didn't take much energy to fire the fully-loaded weapon, so I could at least bank on that. I had become so used to the noises of the swamp by now that I stopped turning to look round at each and every one, only reacting to the loud or out of place ones. After all, being stealthy in these parts would pretty much be a lost cause.

"Sounds too light footed to be a swampert..." I muttered as I heard something from a fair distance behind us. Looking behind me, I saw something very out of place – a gallade. Hardly a swamp dweller, it started at us from afar, just to the left of a sagging tree.

"...Oh blyad...oh no, they're here! They found us!" Danil said, no longer hiding his native accent. "That gallade was the leader of the hunting party! What do we do?! Do we stand and fight or run?" He continued, visibly sweating as he resisted panicking. Looking at the weapon, I started wondering if our pursuers knew about the power of my device. Maude knew all about it before attacking me, so did she tell the others about it? Could they find a way to detonate it? Would they bother trying to kill Murphy? All of these questions started swimming around my head as I backed off away from the gallade as it slowly and carefully approached us.

"I can't die here, not like this..." I said quietly as I saw other shapes moving behind him. A lurantis, a weavile and a floatzel. Was it the floatzel I saw passing through the swamp just after I met Nisbeth? I shuddered, as I saw all four of them looked pretty tough, each and every one of them very capable of ending my life in a heartbeat. Could I be facing the end right here? I wasn't prepared to run away, nor was I prepared to fight. My breathing accelerated into laboured, raspy hyperventilation as I witnessed the danger I had been fearing all day rearing its ugly face, or four ugly faces to be precise.

"Oh, Murphy, I'm so sorry for dragging you into this!" I said, whimpering slightly as I gripped the weapon tightly as I felt my blood race its way around my arteries and veins.

"...Basil, you didn't mean for this to happen. To be honest, I kind of hated you for most of the day for talking me into this, as well as despising myself for allowing myself to be convinced that this was a good idea. Still, I can't remain angry at you, providing we fight this out together. If you flee, they'll just catch up and kill you, but if we stand together, we might have a chance!" He said as I stood by this pillar of strength. He still looked like he had plenty of stamina left, and given what I know of this guy, he could probably take one of them out easily. Regardless, I had to bear some responsibility for getting a friend into some serious danger. I could barely even look at him out of what I done, as I felt an inexplicable urge to protect him. How odd – I was never that close to the guy, especially since I've only known him for a week.

"Murphy, I'm not running! I'll make sure you get out of this alive!" I said loudly as I saw the Pale Communion members approaching as a pack.

"Well, I guess this is a test to see if I'm good enough to aid The Guardian of Forever." Danil said, already looking like he had dampened his fears and tightened his focus. Glancing at him, I knew what side of the war I was on. In the battles between the Pale Communion and the human race, I knew that loyalty towards my own kind was paramount for my own survival, and the survival of potential allies in this alien world. Much in the same way I regarded Murphy, I wasn't prepared to see Danil die either.

"Ok, calm yourself Basil..." I said, drumming my feet on the ground as I tried to silence my excessive fears. Think; what can you do? Who would be the most vulnerable to the weapon? None of them were armoured or had particularly tough skin, but gallade could potentially detonate the weapon if he knew how it worked. Floatzel would likely not be slowed down by the swamp, whereas lurantis would be. I'd make her my target. Just keep focused and do what you do best – map out a strategy before having to deal with the task at hand.

Too bad I'd have exactly five seconds to plan everything as my assassin rushed at me with blades as long as my entire body.


	11. The Pass

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 11: The Pass

Inhaling deeply, I stared at the lurantis rushing at me. Well, they were mostly up-close-and-personal attackers, and she was giving no signs of mixing it up. Keep focused Basil, she's playing right into your hands! Ten meters away, nine, eight, seven...now! I suddenly raised my wand and pointed it at her, blasting her at the point where I thought she'd be close enough to get hurt badly, but not too close that she could slash at me with those scythe-like claws. Now, this would have all been ideal, but it seems like she learned about the weapon from Maude, since she stopped her charge and backed off immediately as soon as I pointed it at her. She grunted in pain, but due to the short range of the weapon, it only staggered her. I gulped, realising this would be considerably more complex a task than I realised.

"Maude warned me of that human device!" She snarled as she lunged at me with natural blades that looked like they could slice a little meowstic such as myself in half! Since the weapon was currently overheated, I had to jump backwards as the tip of the claw took off a small chunk of fur from my torso. I'd cry for help, but I saw that Danil and Murphy already had their hands full with problems of their own. Yelping in fear, I rolled to the side as she tried to impale me on her right claw before I fled for the trees.

"Take care of him; the other two seem more dangerous, especially the heliolisk!" The gallade ordered to the lurantis as she gave chase.

"But I'm not human! Why are you trying to kill me?!" I heard Murphy protest as the sound of a great electrical zap echoed throughout the soggy swamp.

"Dead men tell no tales!" I heard the Gallade say, his voice growing quieter as I continued to flee to buy enough time for the weapon to cool down. I knew I couldn't flee from this my pursuer for much longer, her endless yammering and screeching slowly getting closer as she gained ground on me, constantly going on about she was going to gut me horribly for things I hadn't done. If she was content to just try to slice at me, I might be able to get away if I can catch her out with a good close range blast with the weapon, but as I soon found out, this was not going to be the case.

"Oh nonononono!" I yelled as I saw her charging energy from the sun in her left claw as soon as we reached a small clearing. I wasn't going to be able to run if I get cleaved by a vicious solar blade! Could an attack like that overload the weapon?! There was no time to get my bag off me this time – I just had to try and avoid it the best I could! Unless...the water! I'd likely ruin all the blasting powder in the weapon itself, but my backpack was waterproof, so the rest could still survive if I dived into the depths! I no longer feared of the creatures that could be lurking in those murky in face of the more immediate dangers as I lunged into the unknown. A mere second after my body and equipment were submerged, I felt the force of the solar blade rip across the surface of the water, making me shudder in fright as I wondered what such an attack would have done to me. I couldn't exactly hold my breath for too long, and knowing what these bastards were like, they'd stick around for over an hour to make sure I was dead. I simply had to surface.

"You can't kill me that easily!" I yelled at her as I climbed ashore, showing some false bravado to try and give me the confidence to keep up the struggle. I avoided being sliced by a concentrated wave of light, but with the weapon out of commission for now, I was practically defenceless! I wanted to whimper, I wanted to cry, I wanted to scream in fear of my life as I saw the end approaching, but that wouldn't help me survive, now would it? Could I cause some kind of distraction or fend it off with my psychic abilities? Hardly, I wasn't nearly strong enough for that. Did I have anything in my bag that could help me? Well, if I had enough time to dry the weapon and load it with a fresh batch of blasting powder, I could fight back, but I hardly had the time. I couldn't bargain with the lurantis with my possessions, but I did realise I had one thing left that might be able to get me out of this – the seeds – they were packed with that explosive powder! Maybe I could use them like a grenade of some kind!

"You know, I was expecting a lot more from the human scourge. They seem quite weak now that I'm looking at one right now!" She said, smiling wickedly at me before rushing me down once more. It was a pity that she didn't see our perceived weakness as a big clue that we weren't a threat to this world! Fumbling with the bag slightly as I ran, I was able to grab one of the seeds before being forced to drop my stuff in a nearby bush so I could try to put some distance between her and I.

"I'll catch you eventually, you know you can't run forever! You and that other human already tried that!" She yelled as I had a look at my surroundings as I continued to flee. My aching body's protests for rest by my will to survive as I tried to figure out a way to put a bit more distance between the lurantis and I, since I couldn't afford to use this seed while this close to her. To my left, I saw some trees with some twisted, low hanging branches that were armed to the teeth with thorns. She'd have to cut her way through, but I was just small enough to run under them if I lowered my head. That could give me the space I need! Charging towards those savage looking branches, I kept my body and my head low as I felt the edge of those spiky thorns scrape my ears ever so slightly. I heard the lurantis violently and cruelly hack away at the obstacles before her as I shuddered once more, thinking what those claws could do to me if she got within striking range. However, that wasn't going to happen, and given we were out of the sunlight once more, she'd find it very difficult to solar blade her way through!

"Does it all have to end in bloodshed here?!" I said angrily as I slipped out the other side to see the lurantis furiously chop down the branches in front of her. "So it's a 'yes' then? ...Alright then, have it your way!" I screamed as I lobbed the explosive seed right at her as I felt it in the psionic plane. She barely seemed to notice it – after all, what can a little seed do to someone like her, right? As soon as I felt it make contact with her, I detonated it immediately, causing a vicious and violent explosion right upon her face. All that compacted powder made for a very powerful blast as I heard her screech in pain and shock as she was knocked back several meters. Could she get up from that and continue her pursuit? Absolutely not. Would she be getting up any time soon? I doubt it. Would she ever get up at all? It wouldn't matter, as I wasn't planning on sticking around here.

I heard the scuffling among other sounds of violence a short distance away as I gathered my equipment, drying off the weapon the best I could. Peering between the trees, I saw the weavile and floatzel both trying to end Murphy's life as the heliolisk kept darting between the bushes, strategically zapping them with a bolt of electricity wherever he got the room. All three of them were so fast that it was hard to keep track of all three of them, but from what I could see, Murphy was buckling from the strain of having to fight two of them at once. My heart stopped briefly when I saw him get savagely slashed across the face by the weavile, and I could even make out the blood both on my friend and on the bitch's claw if I looked hard enough. After seeing the floatzel start to try and assault him from behind, I knew there wasn't much hope of him getting out of this alive.

I had already had my fair share of close shaves ever since I was brought here by the guardian of forever – did I really need to force myself into another? Could I just run and make my own way to Newer Orleans by myself? Probably, but seeing Murphy like that...no, I'd throw myself into the fire one more time! Gripping the weapon tightly, I charged forward, but as I started planning my assault route in my head, I realised something terrible – I dried the weapon off, but I forgot to load it! I shut my eyes briefly, now seeing that I was now reduced to a glorified distraction. Seeing Murphy get flung violently against the tree, I saw that I had no time to load the weapon, but in spite of my perceived helplessness, my protective loyalty towards my friends endured. Seeing Murphy fending off the floatzel, I identified weavile as the biggest threat to him, and thus, she would be my target. Forcing my ears up, I charged towards her as she raced towards my companion, malice lining her eyes. Feeling the unstable psychic energy build within me, I knew it was about time.

"You stay off Basil, you-" I yelled, distracting her for just a second as I felt the unstable energies within me suddenly expand outwards. Both the weavile and I were thrown away like rag dolls by this uncontrollable power as I crashed face first into the soggy ground. The world around me was indescribable as I tried to centre my senses, spitting out the mud that had briefly made a home in my mouth. Revolted, I struggled and failed to get to my feet, though it seems like someone was happy to help me with that issue.

"You did that for me Basil?" I heard Murphy say as he pulled me up to my feet. I nodded weakly and smiled at him as I used all my strength to pat him on the back.

"You're one of my friends here. I'd be a real shame to lose someone like you to these bastards!" I replied as I felt my strength returning to me as I noticed the floatzel approaching us quickly. "Cover me while I load the weapon!"

"Right!" Murphy said before turning to the floatzel and engaged him. Both of them looked very battle worn, the toll of combat and running all day visibly showing as they swiped at one another.

"I'll be there in a minute! Oh, and try to keep your distance; you have the advantage at anything bigger than a three meter range. Keep electrocuting him – that'll wear him down while you can remain relatively safe. Try not to let him get within striking range, as he'll outright savage you if he knows what he's doing." I said, drawing on my knowledge of pokemon battling theory. as I hastily loaded the weapon with blasting powder. We all might get tired, but the weapon doesn't – as long as it's loaded, it can keep firing and never suffer from exhaustion! Suddenly, I heard a scream from somewhere from behind me, almost causing me to drop the weapon in surprise. Turning my head around, I saw the gallade aggressively swipe at Danil, and while the Russian was fighting back, he clearly wasn't doing to well at all.

"Think you'll be alright for a few more minutes Murphy?! Danil needs help badly!" I yelled, not even giving Murphy time to respond as I ran to aid my fellow human. Seeing the weavile get up to my left, I suddenly dashed up to her and blasted her face before she got the chance to properly recover and complicate matters. She fell backwards, hitting the back of her head firmly against the tree behind her as I saw all the cuts and burns from all the punishment she endured from Murphy and I – hopefully that'd be the lesson she needed to not fuck with us. Not having the time to check whether she was out cold or not, I ran towards Danil and the gallade to help tip the scales in mankind's favour.

"...I'm sure my companions have already dealt with the other human." The gallade said nastily as it tore the air in front of it, trying to cut down Danil down with psycho cut. Danil swiftly retreated into his rather battered looking shell, giving me the impression that he had already taken a savage beating. Just like Murphy, I wasn't going to stand around and watch a fellow human perish at the hands of these bastards! My eyes narrowed as I leapt towards the gallade, trying to take him down with a single blast, though he ended up blocking the worst of it with his arm. This pokemon clearly had very good reactions!

"You talking about the lurantis by any chance?!" I said angrily, as I quickly helped Danil up while the gallade was staggered.

"...What did you do to her?!" He retorted, showing similar levels of fury. "She was my newest recruit!"

"What did you think was going to happen when your minions try to kill people?! Do you think your victims would just take it lying down or something?! Not only are you lot completely delusional, but you're also complete and total idiots!" I growled back at him, stalling for time to allow the weapon to cool down.

"I've already ended the lives of two invaders. I think I'll make that four!" He declared as I ducked just in time, feeling the air rustle the fur on my ears as he sliced just above my head. Danil took the opportunity and bashed into him head first, causing them to both fall to the ground, though it looked like the Russian was getting up first.

"Basil, we will find Melinda together! If it's that dangerous for us to be here, then there's something I need to tell her before it's too late!" He said, gasping for breath before we ran in together. I quickly caused the gallade to staggerer by blasting him while he was getting up, allowing Danil to follow up with a concentrated deluge of water with impressive force right to our assassin's face.

"Weapon's still overheated, though once it's cooled down, if you can expose him, I'll tear his face off." I said quietly, not wanting the gallade to overhear me. "Give it about twenty seconds."

"Got it." He said before dousing the gallade in boiling water, giving him some really nasty looking scalds. Danil coughed painfully, as it seemed like that blowing water that hot from his mouth clearly hurt him a bit too. "It's fine, I just haven't completely mastered scald yet." He muttered to me before rushing in to collide his skull with the gallade's, leaping up and bashing his face. By now, the weapon had cooled down and looking at the injured gallade yelling in pain while stumbling around, I saw that it was my time to strike.

"Gimme a leg up." I said quietly, still wanting to keep the gallade in the dark. I leapt off Danil's arms, right towards the gallade, pointing the weapon at that repulsive murderer. Sadly, however, it seemed like both Danil and I overestimated how hurt and disorientated our opponent was. As soon as Danil help pushed me up, he seemed to recover almost instantaneously and swiped my torso with such speed that I didn't even have time to fire the weapon at all. I swore I could feel the blade dig into my flesh and brush against my ribs as I screamed in both horror and pain in equal measures as my small frame was sent crashing to the ground.

"I hardly expected humans to be deceived by that, but I guess it makes my job easier..." The gallade muttered as I watched him resume combat with Danil. I lied there in agony, touching my chest gently, and feeling the gash that lined my torso diagonally. The fur around it felt slightly damp with blood, and while it probably wasn't quite as serious as I initially feared, this wasn't a wound I could just shrug off. Even the slightest movements caused pain to shoot through the brutal wound, flaring like a forest fire. In spite of this, I had to get up. Danil didn't look like he was going to win this fight alone, but every time I tried forcing myself to my feet, my muscles locked as I collapsed to the ground once more. At least I landed on my back, so it probably wouldn't get infected.

Dragging myself over to the tree, I used it as support to try and get to my feet as I watched the battle continue in front of me. Danil was looking completely exhausted by now, almost as if he could collapse at any moment. Oh, how I _wish_ that were just the case. After relentlessly swiping Danil, the gallade eventually broke through his guard and swung savagely, striking true at the Russian's neck. My breath and heart froze right there as I saw a small splatter of blood appear on the gallade's left blade. Danil collapsed backwards, struggling helplessly on the ground. Could he still be alive? He had to be! Using all my strength and will, I forced my muscles and nerves to ignore the pain as I got to my feet and slowly staggered towards the two of them! It's not too late! I must be able to do something!

Tragically, the gallade didn't seem to be the sort of person to be satisfied with a simple neck slice. He was clearly the sort of person who took no chances and went to strike one more with a heavy blow to Danil's throat. And again. And again. And again. And again. With one more heavy slice, I heard the bone splinter in his neck as Danil flailed helplessly on the ground as I heard him weakly choke on his own blood. Screaming in anger, the gallade swiped again one last time. I heard the sound of the blade strike the root of the tree beneath Danil, alongside the sickening squelch of his flesh being torn through. I saw Danil's head slowly roll down a short slope into a nearby natural, murky pond as it floated gently towards me. The head seemed to stare blankly in abject horror as the blood seeping from his neck stained the swampy waters. I stared back into his lifeless eyes, shuddering with fear, disgust, anger and every other possible unpleasant emotion you could imagine. My blood ran as cold as the Siberian winters that Danil grew up in as I slowly turned to look at the gallade.

There was nothing that I needed to say to this murderer here. Upon seeing this casualty, I realised I was now a soldier in this secret war. Just how many armies was I drafted into when I was pulled into this foreign world? Regardless, if there was one war I would happily fight in, it would be the war of mankind against the Pale Communion, and this was a battle I intended to win, come hell or high water!

"So, Gallade...something tells me that you don't really know what you're getting into here." I said, staring right into his eyes as I smiled nastily, giving off the quietest of hollow laughs. "You were able to murder Danil, and perhaps you'll even be able to end my life, but know this – there are over nine billion of us! Do you really think my kind will take kindly to your cult and their murderous ways?! How do you think they will react when they find that all their explorers have been massacred by the natives? We've mostly evolved beyond petty conquests, but I'll give you one last warning here – do not provoke us further, or we'll gladly regress to our old ways and take this world for our own! Alternatively, get your superiors call the whole thing off, and I'll do everything I can to convince them to not declare the most one sided war in the history of both our people! I'll cover for your crimes against us and pretend all this never happened."

Obviously, I was piling bluffs upon lies, but given he seemed dead set on believing humans were a threat, I thought I'd play into this. The gallade looked very taken aback by this and seemed to hesitate with both his actions and words, looking like he was seriously considering what I said.

"Don't be an idiot, Gallade...don't risk dooming your own people! I don't want the people here to be conquered. I want them to live the way they see fit." I said, still trying to get through to him, but sadly, he seemed like he was way too far gone.

"I think we both know that the Pale Communion has gone too far to change that. Besides, you humans look very disorganized, and given there hasn't been too many of your kind here yet, I'm assuming that you find it difficult to cross from your world to our own. This is a war we can win, providing we don't fall foul to any of your deceptive tricks!" He retorted defiantly, taking up a fearsome battle stance as he got ready to try and kill me once more.

"I said it to the lurantis, and I'll say it to you – have it your way! Die like the loathsome dog you are!" I said, pointing the weapon at him. He looked almost as battered and exhausted as I was, and all I needed was one good blast to his face to take him down. Then again, he only needed one slash to my neck to force me to follow Danil's footsteps. The standstill would hopefully work in my favour, as I had felt confident that Murphy would help me out once he had dealt with the floatzel, and I was sure he'd win that little bout. The weavile and lurantis were probably still out cold, and even if they weren't, I doubted they'd be in fighting condition.

After taking a couple of tentative steps towards each other, the gallade pounced. I was ready for this as I jumped backwards as I saw him slice where my neck was a mere second ago, the gallade growling in an almost feral manner. Taking advantage of his sloppiness, I fired at the side of his head, causing him to stumble and yell in pain. Hardly the most effective attack, but it will have to do for now. I immediately started fleeing towards where Murphy was to give the weapon time to cool down, my chest still searing in pain with each step I took. The bleeding had mostly stopped by this point though, so I doubt it'd get much worse. Looking around, Gallade was already giving chase and would soon catch up with me. Come on Murphy, I needed you here yesterday!

I felt a wave of destruction pass just over my head, as I heard the lilac psycho cut snap the branch above me. The gallade's attack missed, but, sadly, the fallen branch didn't. It crashed onto my head as it dazed me, causing me to stumble briefly. Such bad luck was neutralized by a more fortunate circumstance as I suddenly saw Murphy running right towards me with terrific speed. He too look rather injured, with several cuts decorating his yellow scales, but this didn't seem to deter him at all as he leapt right over me. A split second later, I heard a huge sounding zap crackle throughout the swamp, making me glad I wasn't on the receiving end of that. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Murphy do a number on the gallade, piling on the thunderbolts whilst making himself an extremely difficult to hit target. The exhausted gallade just couldn't keep up, and eventually collapsed onto his back, his body twitching from being constantly overloaded with electricity.

"Oh, thank you Murphy, you're a lifesaver..." I said weakly as I stumbled over to him.

"So, is that everyone? I saw the lurantis go for you? How is Danil anyway?" He asked, leaning over and gasping for breath.

"Danil...he..." I said slowly and quietly as I slowly turned to look at the barely conscious gallade. "We have some unfinished business to do." I continued, my voice darkening, my eyes narrowing. Holding the wand tightly, I carefully approached the gallade and stared hard into his eyes.

"So, what was it that you said again when you tried to get one of my best friends murdered here?" I said, continuing my low and threatening tone as I gestured to Murphy. "...Oh, yes; that was it! 'Dead men tell no tales!'" And with a sudden movement, I swiftly put the end of the weapon inside his mouth, which was lazily hanging open, and fired ignited the biggest batch of explosive powder left. While the sound of the explosion was muffled slightly, the effects were anything but. His head jerked backwards over the impact of the explosion wrecking the inside of his mouth. Blood seeped from the roof of his mouth as it trickled through his teeth and down his chin. His eyes too shed blood, streaming down his face like tears as they kept shuddering and twitching, as if they were trying to desperately cling onto the remaining seconds of their life. I saw the explosion left a burnt stain on the tree that the gallade was resting on, and much like the gallade's head, it too was stained with its blood. As his body's violent protests came to a standstill, I saw the end come to one of the greatest threats to my life. At least I'd never have to deal with him again.

"Basil, did you just...?!" Murphy said, his voice screeching slightly in shock. I slowly looked round at him and wiped the blood off the tip of the weapon, and without saying a weapon, I gestured him to follow me. He seemed a little hesitant for a few seconds, but he came with me regardless as I slowly pointed at Danil's head floating in the swampy waters before pointing to the rest of him.

"How could they do this..." I said sadly, trying not to cry as I gently picked up his head as it floated towards the shore of the natural pond. "You poor bastard...I barely knew you, but I can say that you were one of the last people to deserve this. I'm sorry I couldn't have done more...fuck those guys..." After all was said and done, I was too exhausted and beaten to get overly emotional, though it didn't stop my eyes from watering as I walked over to lay his heavy head next to his body. Knowing how highly Melinda thought of him, this may be one secret that would be worth keeping from her. She, like I, was probably under several metric tonnes of stress right now, and I wasn't wanting to add on any more than I needed to her.

"...You've seen what these...filthy...monsters are capable of, Murphy." I said, looking over my shoulder to look at him. "I'm going to be absolutely upfront with you about this – if they threaten me, I will kill them, much like I killed that gallade. If I let them live, they will come back and try again. I cannot give them a second chance, for my safety, the safety of the humans, and, tragically, your safety too." I said in a firm tone to Murphy. He didn't really look like he knew how to respond, the situation clearly becoming unbearable uncomfortable to him. I couldn't blame him really, and there was now a part of me that was gnawing away at my brain – by pulling him along, the Pale Communion could continue targeting him. Have I roped this young man into a deadly ride that he won't be able to get off? Did I just condemn him to a vastly curtailed life? If he hates me for what I done, I wouldn't blame him.

"Murphy, we should at least get out of the swamp. I don't want to die to one of the predators here after going through all that." I said, scarfing down a sandwich to try and recuperate some of my energy as I walked slowly towards the vaguely defined path. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the weavile fleeing from us, clearly deciding that she couldn't take us both on at once.

"You'd better run!" Murphy yelled angrily as we joined the path. He looked relieved, but I on the other hand was rather concerned – she could tell her fellow cult members and get reinforcements later on, and I'm not sure if I was going to be so lucky next time.

"What happened to the floatzel?" I asked softly as we rejoined the path and slowly hobbled our way towards Newer Orleans once more.

"He ran away too...you look pretty angry." Murphy said, staring at my face closely.

"So, that's two of them..." I muttered darkly. He was right about me being angry, since it was now two of them who could round up more Pale Communion members to try again. Still, the weavile seemed like she was running back towards Serenity, so it's unlikely we'd meet again until reaching Newer Orleans. It bought me a few days of peace, so I wasn't overly afraid right now. Up ahead, I saw a few slashed branches and bushes where I fought the lurantis, and seconds later, the lurantis herself. Her face looked rather misshapen from the explosive seed I lobbed at her earlier as she crawled rather helplessly on the ground, looking like the blast almost killed her. Well, I guess it was time to finish the job.

Running up to her, I gripped the weapon tightly as I hoped that Murphy wouldn't try to stop me. I jabbed it firmly onto her eye before detonating a vicious explosion, taking out her right eye and probably half of her brain too. Now, she joins her squad leader in being unable to harm another human ever again. One less threat to my kind, and another small improvement to my odds of survival in this hostile world.

"...Better them than us!" I said loudly at Murphy, who looked a little disgusted at me for killing them while they were down, but by not holding me back, it made me wonder if there was a part of him who agreed with my methods.

"Is...is this normal by Conviction standards?" He said, clearly shocked at my brutality. Looking on what I had done, I was starting to share some of his sentiments. I understand why I ended those two, but how easy it was to me kind of scared me a little bit. Regardless, it was the right thing to do – anything to help protect my kind and my friends.

"...Hopefully, the wildlife here will take care of the bodies. Last thing I want is the police knowing that I killed those two. Sure, I'd be able to pass it off as self defence, but I really don't want those complications right now." I said as the sun was starting to vanish behind another small cluster of hills ahead of us. I started hobbling slower and slower as tiredness and pain started weighing down further and further upon me, and after about half an hour, Murphy had to help me make the last mile or so.

It wasn't long before we left the swamp behind us as we were greeted with a peaceful looking clearing. Seemed like an ideal spot to camp, and it seemed unlikely that the Pale Communion would try to attack us again for a couple of days. The sky had become a very dull shade of blue by now, the sunlight giving its last few gasps before it disappeared into the dead of night as we set up our tents.

"Basil, there's something I really need to discuss with you right now." He said as I sadly nodded my head. I knew what was coming, and looking over what has happened today, I probably deserved this.

"Look, if I knew that you'd be put into this level of danger, I wouldn't have asked you to come. I brought this issue onto you, when you had nothing to do with it. If the Pale Communion think Danil and I are humans, then it's our problem, not yours. Seriously, dragging you out here is by far my biggest regret ever since arriving in State Broussard." I said, my voice and body feeling heavier as I leaned against a boulder near the camp-fire. I could barely look the guy in the eye right now as I felt the weight of what I done to him really sink in. "Murphy, if you hate me, then I know I only have myself to blame."

"You're kind of right." Murphy said, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw he wasn't looking at me either. "I don't exactly hate you, but what just happened there...this was the first time that someone tried to kill me, and watching you murder those two as if were a vigilante execution...I'm sorry Basil, but I don't really think I can associate myself with you anymore, and as you said, this wouldn't have happened to me if it weren't for you."

"Murphy, I threw myself at the headlong at the enemy to stop them from ripping you to pieces from behind, even though the weapon wasn't loaded. I killed the two of them so they could never come back and harm us. I made some terrible, reckless choices in how I treated you, and perhaps some of them had a selfish streak, but after pulling through that together, I could never be as thoughtless with you again. I already lost Danil – I'm not going to lose you either." I said, finally turning round to face him.

"If you want to go back to Serenity, that's your choice. It'll sadden me gratefully, but I won't try to convince you to change your mind." I continued. I did think about trying to bargain and manipulate him into coming with me for the rest of the journey, such as suggesting that the surviving members of that hunting party would likely be heading there, but I didn't have the heart to say thing like that to him. Murphy didn't respond for quite a while as he pulled out a small container of some primitive looking soup and poured it into a pot, staring at it with a slight frown upon his face.

"There is one thing I'm wondering, Basil. You seemed pretty close to this Danil person, and yet, it didn't seem like you knew him too well either." He said, his eyes rolling upwards to look at me, while the rest of his head still stared into the pot as the soup started steaming away gently.

"About as long as you really." I said quietly, as I took my own soup out and put it gently into my pot, trying to scrape out every last drop out of the container.

"Seems like he was a human. He never denied it, even when the Pale Communion showed up, and his voice at times was really strange." He said, giving the soup a quick stir and a taste.

"Maybe he was, though it's considered rude and dangerous to even ask that question if I'm not mistaken." I responded, feeling uncomfortable talking about him, the imagery of his brutal murder still etched upon my brain.

"You odd people stick together I guess." He said, taking the pot off the fire, allowing me to cook my own soup. "Sorry if I'm being insensitive around the whole Danil thing."

"I'd be more worried about what I've done rather than what you've said." I said, grumbling slightly as I watched my soup carefully. "So, what are you planning on doing tomorrow? Still going to Newer Orleans?"

"Still thinking about it." He said, sipping his carrot soup softly.

"Does it bother you that Danil was probably a human?" I asked as he shrugged.

"Not really I guess. The way he was acting, I'd say he didn't know too well what he was doing. I wonder if he even intended to come here?" He said as I began pondering this for a short while. Since I had a fair bit of alone time with Danil before his demise, it'd have been possible from Murphy's perspective that he could have told me about being human and where he came from. This way, I could test the waters to see how he how he'd react to the details I know.

"Ok, I have something to admit to you here – when he was hanging back and speaking to me, he told me that he was a human, hence why he was trying to mimic your accent." I said as he gazed at me lazily. While he looked like he wanted to here more really badly, he was also clearly very tired. "Feels like I lost him just when I was starting to get to know the guy." I continued and sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry it ended like this. I should have helped sooner, but...it won't bring him back...anyway, did you find out anything else about him?" He asked as I nodded.

"You were right about him not knowing what he was doing. The only thing he knows is that he was summoned here against his will by an entity known as The Guardian of Forever. Essentially, this entity indirectly killed him, and is partially responsible for the deaths of any other humans he has been summoning. While I can't know for sure if he's behind the rest of them coming here recently, it seems very likely. I'm putting a lot of faith in them, but these humans are clearly not a threat. I'd imagine they'd be very frightened, being put in foreign worlds in foreign bodies and with several people here wanting them dead. They're not a threat in any way." I said, drinking some of my soup.

"The Guardian of Forever...I've heard of him from somewhere." He said as I saw him wracking his mind to try and remember more details.

"Anything to do with that Floyd guy? Or 'The Sound of Perseverance', whatever you want to call him." I asked, remembering that the bizarre policeman back in Edinburgh seemed to know something about all this.

"Yes! Supposedly, he knew that snivy. Whether or not he even existed is kind of up for debate though." He said before he seemed to suddenly realise something. "Wait, why are you asking me this? You're from Conviction, where The Sound of Perseverance is worshipped as some kind of higher being. Why would you not know this sort of stuff?" He suddenly asked as I was taken aback.

"I've told you – I lived most of my life under some kind of metaphorical rock, and-" I said as Murphy suddenly glared at me.

"We both know that's not true." He suddenly said as I stuttered slightly.

"Wh-what?! Are you accusing me of lying?!" I replied, my voice cracking slightly in shock.

"Exactly. I doubt any family from Conviction would be that sheltered and isolated without being able to fight really well. Also, strange area to be intelligent in." He said in a low, yet piercing voice, pointing at the weapon. "Now, maybe if you were from New Australia, but you're not, are you. In fact, I don't think you're from here at all, but from someone much further away."

"What are you implying?! I said sharply as Murphy stood up and glared down at me, making me shudder. I knew just how quickly he could tear me to shreds if he really wanted to, so pissing him off further would be most unwise.

"I'll ask you this once – where are you really from?" He asked, growling slightly. I didn't really think he'd flat out attack me over this, but I was wondering what sparked his sudden aggression. Was he getting suspicious? How so? My web of lies was very well spun, and I left almost no holes, so...why?

"I...I-fine. You know what, if you're to trust me and still stay with me for the next couple of days, you at least deserve to know who you're along for the ride with." I said, taking a deep breath. "Well, as disgusting as they are, the Pale Communion are right about one thing – I am a human." I declared as Murphy took a couple of steps back in shock. "Uh...I guess it wasn't all that surprising in hindsight if you didn't believe my lies."

"It's, uh...it's not that I guess, but..." Murphy said, looking bewildered and confused. "It's just that I didn't really doubt you...it's just that I had to make sure. I...I was expecting you to just say that you were telling the truth the whole time, like I thought you would." I decided to stay quiet and observe him for a minute or two to let things sink in. Whether this would put the final nail in the coffin of our friendship or not, who could tell. I just felt that Murphy had the right to know who he was tagging along with if things were to get nasty again. Who knows, perhaps this would bring us closer, now that we can be more open to one another, but that seemed very unlikely sadly.

"So, uh, two humans...jeez, this is, uh...to think I befriended one of these aliens..." He said to himself, clearly still having muddled thoughts. Guess some explanation would help them settle down slightly.

"Murphy, I've been dishonest about so many things to you, but please try to understand where I'm coming from before you declare your hatred for me and storm off back to Serenity. With the Pale Communion around, telling people who I really am is beyond dangerous, as you've seen a couple of hours ago. I had no idea who I could trust when I was pulled here, and I became paranoid after Nisbeth told me to keep quiet about my human origins. I couldn't take any chances, not even with you, especially after you told me that you don't trust my kind." I said, annunciating each word carefully while keeping my eye contact steady.

"This is why I needed to get out of Serenity – my sister, Melinda, was taken to this planet a day before I was, and I won't find her by staying around the town where she could be anywhere on this planet. With that murderous cult running around, she's in great danger, and I need to find her before they do. These bastards are a threat to my species, and I can't stand while they hunt the rest of them down. As far as I'm concerned, we are at war with them, and when we're alone, scattered, confused and vulnerable, I can't afford to take any prisoners. Know this Murphy – if you stay with me, they may attack you again. However, I've grown to like you over the past week, so if they dare try to harm you again, they will have to also deal with the weapon and I. At least as far as the journey to Newer Orleans goes, I won't leave you if you won't leave me. After we arrive, I'll search for her, and if she's not there, I'll move on. Everything I have told you so far has been the complete, unfiltered truth. What you do from here, is your choice. I won't try to talk you into taking either option." I said, still refusing to break eye contact as I watched Murphy take all of this in.

"...I think I understand Basil. I'll be honest, I really don't like what you done, but I get it, and I don't hate you for it. Seems like you really care for Melinda, huh. Sorry if I'm not very...reactive; I'm still taking all of this in. Still, I guess the whole human thing makes a lot of sense now that you tell me about it." He said, muttering slightly as he spoke.

"I do indeed – I'd do anything to help make sure she's ok, as you saw earlier. I've also no idea if she got turned into a Meowstic just like I did, so it's an uphill battle, but I'll keep on trucking and trying, even if it's foolish for me to do so." I said before leaning a little closer to him. "I didn't just drag you along to protect me – I genuinely saw that you were a pretty talented actor. Why, I fell for your intimidation shtick twice! I thought that you were wasting your innate skills by staying around in Serenity, so I thought I'd try and get you to move to Newer Orleans. I tried convincing Nisbeth to come as well to try and rekindle his old dreams for being an adventurer, but he sadly wasn't having any of it."

"...I've decided. Basil, I'm going with you, but I want something in return. I want you to be more honest with me. Cut the lies, and let me see a human for what he really is. I never thought I could ever befriend an alien, and, whether or not I could still consider you a friend or not, well, I'll still have this weird respect for you. You trusted me with your identity and you did save my life back there, so I can see your honesty when you were talking about how you actually did care for me. I get why things are hard for you, but once we arrive there, it's probably best if we part ways. I hope you understand." Murphy said as I nodded.

"Yeah, I don't want you getting too wrapped up in this. I'd be destroyed if you died because you stuck by me too much. Still, I'm glad I got to know you buddy, and I'll remember you fondly when I leave Newer Orleans. Well, I'd say it's time for bed now, wouldn't you say? Mind covering for me? For the first three hours? I gotta try and rest this wound off. It's not serious, but it still hurts." I said, pointing to the large, yet fairly shallow cut across my chest.

"Sure thing. I reckon I'll be able to stay awake for another three hours. Go get some rest, since we've got a lot more walking to do tomorrow." He said, patting my head affectionately, causing me to grumble. "Trust me Basil, your face is funny when I do that." He said, chuckling as he went to pat me again. I stopped him by pushing his hand out of the way.

"I'm happy still being friendly with you, but not that friendly." I said, cracking a smile as I climbed into my tent and quickly drifted off to sleep. In hind sight, I wasn't sure if I really deserved Murphy's forgiveness, but I wasn't going to complain either. Whatever would happen after I arrived in Newer Orleans, I'd miss him as much as I'd miss Nisbeth. The people here seemed to be a little strange, but, much like humans, there were good and bad pokemon. I was pretty lucky to have met and befriended two of the good ones, and as much as I wanted to find Melinda and get out of here, I'd likely still miss them. Still, I wouldn't miss them too much, since even though I liked them, it wasn't worth living under the constant threat of the Pale Communion. Murphy seemed to agree with me on this, hence why he wanted to disassociate himself from me once we arrived. He understood my questionable actions, just as I understood his.

A while later, I swore I could hear something. Sounded like rustling and voices, and it seemed to come from the waking world. A late night traveller perhaps, or did trouble find us once more? Hardly something I could sleep on, so I climbed out of my tent to hear someone gasping for breath alongside Murphy's concerned and inquisitive tone of voice.

"...I...I finally caught up to you!" The other person said in a familiar voice, as I walked out to meet them. "I was so worried when I heard that some of them were talking to Maude in her prison cell! I feared for your lives if they ever caught up to you!"

"They did..." I said sadly as I saw the familiar and friendly face. "Sadly, one of...wait, Nisbeth?! What are you doing here?!"


	12. How it Is

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 12: How It Is

"Oh, thank fuck you're alive!" Nisbeth said, before picking me up to hug me tightly. He was every bit as strong as he looked as I flailed around in his grasp, struggling to breathe. "I was afraid I was going to be too late given those bastards would have found you, so I had to run down the road as fast as I could to find you! I should have never have let you leave the town."

"That...was my own choice." I said, as he put me down gently on the ground. "Besides...well...you were kind of too late." I continued as I sighed miserably, rubbing my foot against the ground, feeling the grass between my toes.

"Did they already find you?" Nisbeth asked, looking afraid for my safety as I nodded.

"We took care of them, but...well, you weren't quick enough to save Danil." I responded miserably as the memories of his brutal and messy decapitation flashed in my mind again. "Danil's another human who was brought here by The Guardian of Forever. They hunted us down like animals, and..." I trailed off, shuddering slightly. I had no idea whether Melinda was outed as a human or not, or whether she was even still alive. In many ways, the agony of not knowing was even worse than she was dead, but there was always a degree of hope I could cling onto. Nisbeth looked like he didn't know what to say as he sadly shook his head.

"I only caught heard about people visiting Maude in her cell yesterday evening. They were ahead of me by several hours, but...I should have still done something. I'm sorry Basil." He said, sitting down next to me. "Listen, I'll come with you to Newer Orleans. I'll make sure you get there safely."

"Thanks Nisbeth." I said and smiled at him. "Oh, by the way, Murphy here also knows who I really am." I said as the toxicroak looked at him.

"So he told you then?" He asked Murphy.

"Yeah. I can't believe we actually made friends with an alien. A lot of things about Basil suddenly make a lot of sense now." He replied, looking a little uncomfortable. Well, I couldn't really blame him given I lied to his face more times than I could count, but, as he knew, I had my reasons.

"So you came all this way to just make sure I was ok. You flatter me Nisbeth!" I said, trying to lift the mood a bit.

"Well, given I was registered as your guardian, I would have probably been beaten up by a mob for letting you getting yourself killed like that." He said as I patted him on the back.

"Well, since you're going to Newer Orleans, I'm going to help you try to get into that explorer's club or whatever it's called again. You took a lot of time and effort out of your life for me, so I'm wanting to make sure this journey is worth it for you. Same with you Nisbeth, I'll try to get you set up with a drama agency. I kind of sweet-talked you into helping me, so I'm going to use my talents to get people to help you. It's only fair after all." I said, smiling at Nisbeth as I slowly moved towards my tent. "Though, if you still don't want anything to do with me once we arrive, then I'll understand."

"I'm not sure. Think the Pale Communion will still attack me if they see me with you?" He asked as I shook my head.

"I think they only did so back in the swamp because it was isolated. I can imagine they'd be a lot more wary of attempting murder in a large town, and they must know of a lot of people that know a human, so all things considered, you'll probably be fine. Still, the choice is yours, and unlike my previous actions, I won't try to convince you to see my side." I replied as I yawned, sleepiness kicking back in now that the shock of Nisbeth's arrival had calmed down. "Well, I'm completely shattered. Wake me up in a few hours, and I'll keep watch until morning, ok? Did you bring a test Nisbeth?"

"Nope, only had time to quickly grab some food and water to make sure I wouldn't be too weak to fight if it came to blows." He replied.

"Well, if you can fit inside either Murphy's or mine when we're not inside, then feel free to use them." I said before crawling inside my tent. I dropped off to sleep almost instantly, yet my dreams and mind were still plagued by the events in the swamp. Restless thoughts transformed into paranoia as I imagined the Pale Communion coming for me during my sleep. I had to trust in Nisbeth and Murphy. I had to believe that I'd be safe as long as they were around. They were both pretty damn tough, and they've been looking out for me since I came here. Putting my faith in their intentions and abilities, I was able to clear my mind of most of its worry as I my dreams became a little more pleasant.

"Hey Basil, it's your turn." Murphy said, tapping me and waking me up some time later. His eyes looked drained of energy as he crawled clumsily into his tent as I sat down on a small boulder nearby to keep watch. Drumming my fingers on said boulder, I tried to stay awake the best that I could. It'd take another couple of days to reach Newer Orleans, but I was already looking forward to collapsing on a real bed for at least twelve hours. Drinking and eating helped staved off the desire to take a nice nap on the ground, as did watching Nisbeth try to fit inside Murphy's tent. Guess that's where all the shuffling sounds were coming from while I was sleeping.

Thankfully, nothing else happened as I saw the sun start to make its presence known on the horizon. After waking the others up and having a quick breakfast, we packed up our stuff and set out on the road again. The wind was oddly cool, which was a relief to say the least, but Nisbeth seemed to think otherwise.

"Are you two not cold?" Murphy asked us, shivering slightly. "Feels almost as cold as winter."

"Actually, it's still a bit too warm for my liking. My homeland's a lot colder than this." I said, keeping my eyes on the poorly made path as we crossed the grasslands.

"Well, unlike some people, we don't have fur." Nisbeth said, chuckling, looking just as chilly as Nisbeth was.

"Man, how do you guys even get through winter?" I asked.

"With great difficulty." Nisbeth replied plainly. "Is the human world in general colder than this?"

"Hard to tell, though there are many hot and cold places on my planet. I'm guessing it's the same here, right?" I asked, enjoying the cool breeze on my face.

"New Australia's a lot colder than here, especially the snow-covered northern parts. Just going by word of mouth and maps though, since I've never been there. It's expensive to travel there, though I'd love to visit Syrinx one of these days. Supposedly, it's over five times the size of Newer Orleans." Nisbeth said as I chuckled.

"Want to know why it's called Newer Orleans? Because There's already an Orleans and a New Orleans back where I come from. Same with Australia for that matter. I don't know what's cornier – naming something 'New Whatever' or naming something after yourself! Still, the guy who named that city 'Syrinx' knows what's up." I said, smiling as we pushed on.

"So…what's the human world like then?" Murphy asked. Figured they'd go for the elephant in the room sooner or later.

"Oddly enough, it's not all that different from this world." I said as we passed under a tall, crooked tree that leaned over the path, briefly shading us with its exceedingly long leaves. "More advanced and stuff I guess, but when you boil it down to its core elements, it's kind of similar. From what you've seen from me, humans aren't really god-like entities. If we were, we'd be smiting those Pale Communion bastards effortlessly."

"You seem to know what us pokemon are like, so are there pokemon in your world too? Are there heliolisks like me?" Murphy said, pressing his questions.

"Yes there are!" I said, hoping he wouldn't ask me to elaborate, given that almost all the pokemon in my world were animalistic savages. I somehow doubted they'd take to that very well.

"Ooh, are they like us or do they live in the wild?" While it made me happy that Murphy was cooling off and was reverting to his cheerful self, I really wish he didn't ask that exact question. I physically cringed, and unfortunately, he seemed to notice.

"Well, I said I'd be honest with you...they're almost all savages, and while humans definitely aren't super-beings, we are undoubtedly the masters of the planet. Anomalies exist every once in a while where a pokemon can act like a person, but they're exceptionally rare. It's hard to determine the cause, but usually it comes down to the pokemon dedicating a lot of effort and thought into wanting to become more like a human. That's all I know. I really wanted to lie about this, but I did say I'd be honest about things from here on, even if it's ugly." I said, biting my bottom lip and inhaling slightly. Murphy looked a little disturbed, but seemed to be ok with it.

"I see...well, guess I'm glad to live here then!" Murphy said, suddenly sounding happier again. Needless to say, I was glad that he didn't probe into what my sister and I did for a living – that would be a complete doozy to explain!

"...I also met Floyd just before I came here." I said suddenly before both of them suddenly turned around.

"Fuck off!" Nisbeth said, smiling slightly as if I told an elaborate joke. Murphy looked like he was in disbelief. "Even the rumours and legends say he died thirty-five years ago! Even if he was real, he's not around anymore."

"Well, he said his name was Floyd, and said that he at one point in his life could get visions of the past and of things yet to come. He said that he one time met The Guardian of Forever, and that he told him that he was a hugely important hero in another timeline, not to mention that he was a snivy when he was in the pokemon world. Just telling you guys what he told me. Shortly afterwards, I was removed from my world and taken here." I said, as they continued to stare at me in disbelief.

"I reckon you're pulling our legs now." Nisbeth said, shaking his head.

"Well, you believed I was human. Trust me, this has been a series of incredibly bizarre events for me. Still, that strange policeman told me all that he knew apparently, and he seems to share my sentiment about kidnapping humans from my world. I doubt he's friends with The Guardian of Forever anymore. He was researching the disappearances from my world, so as you can see, both of these 'heroes' have been quite busy recently." I explained as they seemed to humour me, at least for now.

"Well, is there anything these humans have in common? Think he's just picking them at random?" Murphy asked as our pace slowed slightly, both of them showing interest.

"Seems like he's picking people who are well known for working with pokemon. Dunno why he picked me after my sister though. I mean, I've worked with them before, but I was more of a behind-the-scenes manager for Melinda." I said, bending the truth ever so slightly. "I can only guess he was assuming that people who worked with pokemon in my world would adjust the best into being turned into one. Boy did he make a bad choice with me! According to Melinda, The Guardian of Forever said he needed humans to defend this world. What a complete idiot! All that happened is that some cult wants us all dead! This all reeks of nostalgia for Floyd. Speaking of which, if it worked before, then why didn't he summon him instead of Melinda and I?! He's unstable, and-" I ranted, my voice growing louder and higher before Nisbeth cut me off.

"Relax, Basil!" Nisbeth said, shaking me slightly.

"Sorry, it's just that even with you two, I still sometimes feel very alone. It's mostly because that finding Melinda will be a needle in a haystack. It feels almost hopeless at times really. Then, what do I do after I find her? It'll be another potentially fruitless hunt for The Guardian of Forever! Why do I have to go through all this? It's because of him! If he wasn't my ticket out of here for Melinda and I, I'd murder him without any remorse the first chance I get! I bet I wasn't the last one taken to this hostile world!" I said, slowly returning to my shrill ranting and raving.

"Nisbeth's right, this isn't exactly helping." Murphy said, also trying to calm me down. I suppose they weren't wrong, but it didn't exactly help my situation. "Nisbeth, know of anyone who could help him with his situation?"

"You could try the Excursion Club I guess. They have a lot of connections, so it's worth a try, but then again, who knows if there are Pale Communion members there. You could end up giving yourself away again, so I wouldn't risk it, but it's your choice." Nisbeth said, clearly not wanting me to ask them. I was hardly going to find Melinda by just staying silent however. There were risks I simply had to take, and perhaps this could be one of them. Regardless, I'd have plenty of time to think about it.

"I really appreciate the two of you standing by me, but ultimately, I'm never going to be happy until I find Melinda, or at least find out what's happened her. I risked my life for this so far, and I'll do so again if I need to. I don't want to drag you guys into it, especially if it means facing the Pale Communion again. As much as I want to find her, I don't think she'd be in a hurry to forgive me if she knew I got some of my friends killed in the process. I wouldn't forgive myself for a long time either." I said, calming down slightly.

"Well, if you're absolutely sure, then I won't try to talk you out of it. I'll just tell you now that I think you're making a mistake." Nisbeth replied. "Like I said, think about what you still have, and consider other ways."

"If you find Melinda, can we meet her at some stage?" Murphy said, sounding like he was trying to inject some more casual optimism into the subject.

"She'd probably want to meet you two after I've told her my little 'I've-become-a-meowstic' story. She's very friendly; you two would get along well with her, especially you Murphy. I can imagine her thanking you two profoundly for helping to keep me alive before having a couple of drinks and share some crazy stories. Trust me, she'll probably have a whole load of them now if her experiences were anything like mine." I said, sounding a little happier as I began thinking back to the good times together.

"Is she cute?" Murphy asked, snickering slightly before I swatted his nose immediately.

"NO!" I said, glaring into his eyes while raising my finger to his nose, which he rubbed slightly.

"Well, you don't know that, especially if you got turned into different species." Murphy continued as my face scrunched up in disgust.

"One: That's my sister you're talking about! Two: She used to be a human too, so she's not going to be interested, and three: She's ten years older than you!" I shouted at him. It was pretty hard to tell how serious Murphy was about this, but regardless, he was clearly lapping up my fury like melted chocolate.

"She's twenty-seven? That's quite the age gap between you and her." He said, sounding a little disappointed.

"Oh, and Basil here's actually twenty-three. He kept his real age a secret so they wouldn't throw him off the continent if he failed his adulthood exam." Nisbeth said before stalling slightly. "Er, you were fine with him telling him that, right?"

"Well, I guess it's very minor compared to the fact that I'm literally an alien in this world." I said, rolling my eyes at him.

"Huh, I thought you looked too old to be eighteen! Wow, everything really is rolling into place!" Murphy said, chuckling happily.

"Yeah, kind of felt compelled to lie to you about that too." I said in a low voice, looking away from him.

"Eh, I get why you did that. I won't hold it against you, don't worry." Murphy said, patting me on the back. Seems like he completely and totally forgave me for dragging him into this. Well, it was decided now – as long as I could help him safely, I'd ensure he'd get the acting job he dreamed off. I owed it to him, even if he insisted that I didn't need to pay him back for this. Same with Nisbeth – they've been too good to me. I even considered asking them to come home with me to the human world once I found Melinda and beat The Guardian of Forever to within an inch of his life. Maybe I could ask them closer to the time, but then again, they'd probably be appalled at how pokemon act and are treated there, so maybe it'd be for the best if they just stayed.

After the rocky beginning, the day actually went pretty nicely. The cool breeze felt great upon my fur as we walked down the poorly laid out path towards the east. It snaked its way through grassy fields and small patches of trees here and there, and as we rested upon a small hill, I really began to take in the atmosphere of this place. It wasn't quite breathtaking, but given we were no longer being hunted down by a cult, I at least had the opportunity to really kick back and relax for a few minutes.

Gazing down the hill, I saw the river flow back towards us before being redirected by the land towards the east. It looked like it'd re-join us for the final day of travelling, and from what I'd remember, it would meet its end at Newer Orleans. Looking ahead, the path seemed clear of geographical troubles. No swamps, no hills or mountains; just the way I liked things. Seeing the crooked mountains form jagged shadows over the swamp we passed through last evening made me glad that bloodshed was behind us. It was just too bad Danil had to pay the price.

"Oh, by the way, if you ever meet Melinda, don't tell her what happened to Danil, ok?" I said, swallowing the rest of the food in my mouth as I finished off the sandwich. Staring off into the distance towards the blackening sky of the east, I saw some pale lights on the horizon start to flare and flicker weakly like fireflies clinging on to their last moments before passing on.

"Is that Newer Orleans?" I asked, thinking I saw a mishmash of buildings way off in the distance.

"It is indeed. Busy place." Nisbeth said with a mouthful of food.

"Might just remind me of home a little more." I replied.

"Miss your home world?" Nisbeth asked as I nodded slightly.

"Well, it's kind of odd. I mean, this is an experience like no other! As frightful as it's been, if Melinda and I get back home safely, I'll be glad this happened to me in a way. If it wasn't so dangerous, I'd be up for an out-of-this-world and an out-of-body experience like this for a week or two, but alas, this is no holiday." I said, as my smile faded away, just like how the sun was fading behind the mountains. "So yeah, I do miss my safer life."

"So you'd be miserable if you were forced to stay here?" Nisbeth asked as I shrugged.

"Well, I have friends and family back home. It'd be real rough for them, given I literally vanished off the face of the Earth. However, as for my own life, if the Pale Communion disbanded, then I could probably adjust. I wouldn't have much of a choice, and besides, this world isn't so bad once you take those murderous bastards out of the equation. By the way, you seem to really like having me around. I'm really starting to wonder why, given you seemed to be kind of lazy in most other circumstances." I said as he shook his head.

"When it's a matter of life and death, I can't afford to slack off. I'd hate to feel responsible if anything bad happened to you, and given that you'll probably have to deal with the Pale Communion sometime later if you keep sticking your neck out...well, hopefully you'll understand." He said, trailing off towards the end. It still bugged me how he was doing this for someone he barely knew, but I guess no good would come from delving too deep in case I changed his mind.

Using the little sunlight we had left, we set off down the shallow slope of the hill at a fairly quick pace, waiting to find a sheltered spot to set up camp. My feet felt pretty battered and worn by now from the relentless walking, and if they had mouths, they would have given off the greatest sigh of relief when we finally found a dry patch of ground underneath a few trees off to the side of the path.

"Think I'll enjoy Newer Orleans?" I asked as soon as I finished setting up my tent.

"You'll love the big town Basil, and there's enough police there to help you stay safe if they ever come looking for you again." Murphy said, though I wasn't quite so sure.

"I think this might be the only time I'm hoping that the place I'm going to ends up being a police-state." I said, sounding a little sour. "I just hope they're not zealous enough to try and kill me in a busy street. Well, goodnight you two, and feel free to wake me up when it's my turn to keep watch for savages and other trouble."

"See ya Basil. Nisbeth, want to keep watch for the first few hours?" I heard Murphy say before I drifted off to sleep. I wasn't sure how long I slept for, but I was woken up by the noise of chatter from my two friends. Naturally, I listened in carefully, curious to see how the two natives would speak now that I was 'asleep.'

"...It wouldn't surprise me if they were." I heard Nisbeth say, sounding bitter.

"Unlikely, since they only tried to kill Basil during the night in the outskirts of Serenity or in the wilderness." Murphy responded as I saw the two of them start to argue.

"We can't be sure Nisbeth, and there's not exactly members of the police on every single street. Basil's not going to be safe there." Nisbeth said sternly.

"And what would you have him do? Just stay locked up somewhere, hoping it all blows over while constantly worrying about Melinda? I've not known Basil for long at all, but it's clear he'll be very unhappy that way." Murphy said before chuckling slightly. "Why, he's probably drive you insane if you kept him hidden in that little shack you supposedly lived in for months on end."

"Look, if I ever let someone el-"

"It was decided a while ago. I really don't think you're going to change Basil's mind now. I mean, if you really wanted to keep a constant eye out for him, you can just stick by his side for as long as he needs you to if you really want to. I really don't think he'd complain about your company and protection. Anyway, we should keep our voices down as to not wake the guy." Murphy said before I heard him sigh. "Besides, it's my chance to really get out there and grab the life that I've dreamt of."

"You're only seventeen though, right? Seems a bit young to suddenly jump to Newer Orleans like this. Were your parents fine with this?" I heard Nisbeth ask.

"Probably not, but I reckon they'll get used to it and see I did the right thing for myself in time." He said somewhat casually. "If I told them, they'd probably try to keep me home. I wouldn't be happy staying there, you know."

"Just like Basil, huh…look, here's a word of advice kid-"

"I am a legal adult you know. Seriously, I know you like living around mud, but I see that you're the stick in it too." Murphy protested, his voice growing slightly louder.

"I'm just saying that diving face first into this will probably only get you hurt in the long term. Trust me, I learned the hard way. Between you and me, I think Basil's acting out of manic desperation. I understand where he's coming from, but I don't think he even considered where he'll stay and how he'll afford to feed himself. You did bring some spare money with you, right?" Nisbeth asked as I heard Murphy rummage around in his backpack.

"Here's all my money." He said as I heard Nisbeth grunt in disapproval.

"That might last you two weeks. Tell me – what will you do if you can't get theatre work immediately?" He asked as Murphy seemed to pause for a short while.

"Uh, do run-of-the-mill jobs until I work things out." He said as I heard Nisbeth grunt again.

"You and Basil should have stayed home. Especially in Basil's case – better miserable than dead."

"You're gutless Nisbeth! I'm sorry some of us here aren't satisfied with just hunkering down in some swamp where nothing happens. Though I really do wonder, Nisbeth…it's really quite odd how someone as slobbish and unmotivated as you is going this far out of his way to help make sure Basil's ok. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, and I'm sure Basil isn't whining either, but…well, you get my point." Murphy said, his ranting diminishing as time went on.

"…I have my reasons. Someone as young as you wouldn't understand." Nisbeth replied after a fairly long pause, his voice wavering slightly.

"Does that translate to 'You won't tell me because you simply don't feel like it'?" Murphy responded before Nisbeth seemed to lose his cool by the sound of things.

"No, it's because I'm getting really tired and your inane chatter is starting to really irritate me. Now, it's your turn to keep watch. I'm going to bed, goodnight." He said, his voice being as firm as an oak tree. I heard him quickly climb inside his tent as silence once again returned to our makeshift campsite. Murphy was right in a way – it did seem strange that Nisbeth would act like this around me. Still, he seemed to get along much better with me than he did with Murphy, so maybe I could convince him to tell me when I ask him in private. Regardless, I couldn't lose sleep over it now. Tomorrow would surely be another big day for me.

"It's your shift Basil." I heard Murphy said as he started poking me. Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Groaning, I climbed out of my tent and kept watch until the sun poked its head just above the horizon. No ambushes, no trouble – wonderful! It didn't take long for the others to wake now, and before long, we were on the road again.

We found ourselves walking a little quicker this time, as all three of us seemed eager to get to Newer Orleans as soon as possible. By now, my feet and body had become partially numbed to all the pain and discomfort it was going through, as every part of my being became sharply focused on getting there. Who knew whether Melinda would actually be there or not, but there was only one way to find out.

"So, what are you guys gonna do when you get there?" I asked, taking in a second day's worth of cool breezes on my face.

"I'll be looking into applying at the theatre, or just get advice from the people there." Murphy said, sounding excited.

"I'm not entirely sure…" Nisbeth said, grumbling slightly.

"Here's what we're going to do – we are going to that excursion club place, or whatever you called it, and I will help you get a place there while I see if they know anything about Melinda." I said, making Nisbeth a little uncomfortable.

"You really are dead-set on this, aren't you? You know, fine, I'll go through with it. I was turned down once over a decade ago, so I doubt I'll be let in now, but if makes you happy, I'll give it another try. Just promise not to bicker on to me about it when I inevitably get turned down again, ok?" Nisbeth said, looking at me out of the corner of his right eye.

"Fine, fine. Though I will do everything I can to persuade them for you. I'll get you in somehow, don't worry." I said, trying to reassure him.

"I don't even particularly care about getting in anyway. They were younger dreams and…well, there is still a part of me that really fancies the idea. I'll give it my best shot." He replied, smiling slightly.

"See? Now you're getting it!" Murphy chimed in, much to Nisbeth's displeasure.

"I really hope I won't have to rescue you…" Nisbeth mumbled to himself, though Murphy clearly overheard.

"That was mighty cold of you there!" Murphy said after gasping in shock.

"It was a figure of speech, Murphy." Nisbeth said, still grumbling away. Thankfully, they stopped bickering right there, but it wouldn't be the end of our concerns.

"Wait…is that another one of those statues?" I heard Murphy say suddenly and point ahead. From what I could see, it was either a statue of a quadrupedal pokemon or a bipedal one that had fallen over. Jogging over to it, I could see that it was a dewott, and not even the pitch-black stone of the statue could hide its terrified expression. It was lying on its back with a face of abject horror, as if it was staring in fear at someone or something on the path. Its right arm was raised, as if trying to fend off something. I felt very unsettled, wondering what strange sculptor would make such detailed, yet terrified looking statues and just dump them here.

"…Why?" I muttered to myself as we tried to make it stand up, but we found the thing to be unbelievably heavy. Even with Nisbeth's help, we could barely make it move.

"What sort of stone is this thing made from?! Can't remember the last time I came across something so heavy!" Nisbeth said after giving up. Even though Nisbeth looked very strong, almost to the point of having the physique that would serve him well in professional battling, he looked utterly defeated by this. "Well, it doesn't matter. Only got about five more miles to go thankfully, and I want to get the application done as quickly as possible. Let's get there before they shut for the day, ok?"

"Indeed." I responded, and it wasn't long until I got my first good view of the port town. It wasn't overly impressive by human standards, but this was a magnificent accomplishment from the pokemon here! I found myself rather excited to just wander around the place, and thankfully, I'd probably have plenty of time for me to do that in my search for Melinda. I couldn't make out any real details, but if I were to have a guess, I'd say about fifteen to twenty thousand people lived there judging by its size. Hardly as big as York, but it looked a little closer to home at least.

"I'm so gonna get a foot massage after we're there…" Murphy said, looking happy at the mere thought of it.

"And waste what little money you have? I don't think that's a good idea." Nisbeth said, and as much as Murphy protested, I thought that Nisbeth was right. I realised that I had even less money than Murphy, but my hand was forced. Better trying to get by with little to no money than waste time, as each day I waste means more opportunities for the Pale Communion to find Melinda.

It wasn't long until we found some more people on the path, which by this point, had become a fully-blown road. Several paths branched off to the left and right that snaked their way towards the local farms that surrounded Newer Orleans, producing all manner of different crops; some familiar, some alien.

"Walk all the way from Serenity? You look exhausted!" An ivysaur said to us as he walked off towards one of the farms. He was right, but I couldn't rest just yet.

"Know where we need to go Nisbeth?" I asked as he nodded.

"Yep, I'll take you to the excursion club. Got a plan to help me get in?" He asked as I shook my head.

"I'll talk around to some of the staff members if I'm allowed. Maybe I can have some leverage with one of the higher ups if I make a good impression, or if I can offer them some human wisdom without revealing who I really am." I said, though Nisbeth looked concerned.

"Sounds a little risky. Just don't do anything rash or stupid – we can't be sure that there aren't Pale Communion members there." He replied as I reassured him.

"Anyway, I'll help you after I help Nisbeth get in." I told Murphy, who looked happy to have my help. "I owe it to you buddy."

"I won't say no to that! Though don't waste too much time, since I don't want the Pale Communion to suspect me of anything. Still, I'm probably exaggerating; I don't think there's any real risk of them going after me." He said. For his sake, I wish he wouldn't be so casual about the potential dangers he could face.

Eventually, after four days of exhausting travel, we finally made it to Newer Orleans in the late afternoon. I let a sigh of relief escape from my mouth as I gazed round at the buildings and town around me. They seemed a little less rustic than the ones back in Serenity, with a few antebellum style houses on the outskirts of the town. They didn't seem to be as well constructed as the old plantation mansions I saw with my family during my holiday to Louisiana many years ago, but were certainly by far the best constructed buildings I had seen so far in this word.

"Hey, if you become a real hero, you might live in one of those fancy houses!" Murphy said excitedly to Nisbeth.

"If I do somehow get in, it'll be too late to get rich." He replied, sounding far less enthusiastic than the young heliolisk. As we approached the town centre, the buildings became a stacked blur of greys and browns, yet in spite of the dull colour scheme, there was a liveliness to this place that I hadn't felt in a long time. I closed my eyes briefly as I walked beside them, and I swore I could hear the first sounds of jazz playing in this world, though it was most likely my imagination. Theatres and saloons with overhanging balconies sheltered us from the sun as Murphy stared in awe at what could be his future as we made our way through the entertainment district. That being said, everything I had seen so far felt somewhat like an imitation of the real thing in a mildly unsettling way. Still, while the lack of authenticity really did seem like a ridiculously cheap knock-off of New Orleans, I actually found myself quite liking this place so far.

"Oh man oh man oh man! I've gotta give this a try now!" Murphy said, practically jumping as we walked.

"Try one of the smaller ones first, you might want to work your way up. That being said, you look completely exhausted. I'd have a good night's sleep before giving it a try. I can give you some help if you wait for me too. I did a bit of drama when I was at school, so I'm not totally inexperienced." I told Murphy, trying to calm him down.

"Basil's right – you look like a complete wreck." Nisbeth chimed in while Nisbeth stared back at us with a deadpan expression.

"So do you two." He replied.

"Nothing a shower can't fix up." Nisbeth said, not making eye contact. "Anyway, go find a hostel or something. I'm sure Basil can find you tomorrow."

"Uh…see ya then?" Murphy said, sounding confused as Nisbeth dragged me away, looking relieved.

"Ugh, his nasally voice was driving me mad. Look, I get that you're friends, but I just find him really annoying." Nisbeth said gruffly as he took me through the busy streets.

"I get that I suppose. Think he'll be fine here? Like you said, he is pretty young." I asked as he nodded.

"Well, he is technically an adult, and he's definitely tough enough to look after himself. Murphy will be ok, don't worry about him Basil." He said as he stopped me outside one of the public showers. "If you want to make a good impression on the excursion club, it helps if you're clean. Don't worry, we'll have time. I saw a nearby sundial; we're here earlier than I thought."

"Thanks for the advice, Captain Obvious." I said, chuckling slightly as I quickly cleaned and dried myself. Getting dry was a complete pain in the arse given my body was now covered in blue and white fur, but at least I didn't smell of sweat anymore.

"You're taking a long time Basil." I heard Nisbeth say from outside the shower block.

"Just a sec Nisbeth." I said, seeing how I looked in the mirror. I jumped instinctively upon seeing my reflection; guess I still wasn't completely used to looking like this. Only thing that looked remotely like my old self was my green eyes, though they were significantly bigger than they used to be. Thankfully, I didn't feel quite as blue as I looked about this situation, nor was I as old as my white hair looked. Speaking of which, it seemed a little longer and shaggier than most meowstics, and certainly didn't form the usual two neat, straight clumps that the males were mostly known for. Combing my hair with my tiny claws on my fingers, I straightened it out the best I could, pushing it off to one side so that it wouldn't cover my eyes. My scarf fur too was a bit of a lengthy mess too, and much like my hair, I straightened it out. Classy! Thankfully, my tail didn't follow suit, as it was a good deal shorter than normal. Regardless, sleeping with this extra appendage proved to be a pain in the arse, and it still felt very strange to move this extended spine. Giving it a little shake, I turned around to see a charmeleon behind me, grinning widely, staring at where my tail was.

"No." I said slowly and firmly at him before joining up with Nisbeth.

"Right, got any ideas or plans Basil?" He asked as we walked towards a large building, the setting sun glaring off the huge telescope at the top of it. Aside from that, it looked like one of those neo-classical mansions for the most part, aside from the fact that it was painted, of all colours, lilac.

"I've got a few ideas but…yeah, these guys look like they might be a little crazy. Was it always like this?" I asked as he nodded.

"They insist on making things fun." He said as we walked through the large gateway.

"Hrm…if they have some kind of scientist there, I could perhaps exchange a few secrets about the weapon with them in return for leverage to let you in. Seems like they do, given that large telescope. Don't worry, I'll try to downplay the alien nature of the device, so I don't think they'd suspect anything." I said as we walked slowly into the entrance hall.

"Looks a little messier than the last time I was here…" Nisbeth said as we slowly walked across the slightly dirty floor. "Wouldn't mind living here though as long as there's some kind of soundproofing and locked private bedrooms. Still, I may miss my quiet life back home. It'll be open for another hour and a half, so if you want to try and get that astronomer to try and get me in, I'd start now." He said as I looked at what areas were open to the public. Seemed like it was only this hall unfortunately, but I did see what I assumed was a receptionist at the far end of this wide, open room. The whole place didn't seem nearly as fancy as the exterior had me believe, but it still managed to be the best looking place I've been to so far in this foreign world.

"Commission forums are to your left. If you've made an appointment, then I'll see your paperwork now." The froslass said, sounding rather bored, and clearly wanting to go home for the day.

"Actually, I was wanting to see the astronomer here." I asked as she rolled her eyes.

"Do you have the paperwork for your appointment?" She asked in a low drawl.

"I didn't make one-"

"Then you can't see him. Next please!" She said before I decided to take the weapon out of the bag.

"If he's into science and inventions, then I'm sure he'll want to see this." I said, holding it in both of my arms.

"…A braixen wand? That's not even an invention, let alone something that'd be useful or interesting for him." She replied, her eyes barely even half open.

"It's modified with technology from my homeland in New Australia. I only moved there six months ago, hence my accent." I said, wanting to embellish my story to make it sound a little more impressive, which finally seemed to spike her interest.

"…He'll probably be waking up about now, I'll leave him a message. He's usually interested to see what the people in New Australia have been coming up with in his spare time." She said, speaking into a strange spherical device. "Ok, take your seat Meowstic, I'll call you over if he accepts."

"That didn't go badly at all!" I said happily to Nisbeth who was staring hard at the application form he just picked up.

"Oh, the joys of filling in forms…I just hope that my good physical condition and my independence from society helps me." He said, though his frown faded slightly as he gave me a small smile. "I'll thank you for talking me into this. Guess it'd be too late to try something like this if I waited much longer. I mean, I'm thirty-seven, and my life is half over. I know I wasn't too into this idea initially, but now that I'm here, I'm really wanting to become a member here. Maybe I'll become a cartographer to chart out the last of the equatorial isles, or maybe the frozen north of New Australia."

"I'm happy for ya." I said, and while I was being truthful, it did put more pressure on me. Now I really had to make sure he got accepted here. Now, how could I best convince their local scientist to help me…guess he'd need a demonstration of sorts, but how much could I trust him? If he wanted to spend an hour or a night studying the weapon, should I let him do that? He wouldn't know about my strange lack of fighting ability, so it wouldn't be too suspicious, but what if he accidentally destroys it? Would I have to try and convince another braixen to make me a wand? As much as I wanted to see Nisbeth succeed there, would I be willing to risk the only tool that could protect me?

"Meowstic, our scientist will see you in his office now." The froslass called over to me.

"Well, good luck." I told Nisbeth.

"You too." He replied as the receptionist gave me directions. The only room in the top floor. Sounded simple enough. Walking up the flights of stairs, I saw what were presumably some of the members walking around. To my left, I saw an archaeological room with a mawile studying some artifact and to the left, I smelled the stench of booze.

"Yeah, I'll be downstairs in just a moment!" I heard an oddly familiar voice say, though I couldn't quite remember who. A second later, I saw an ampharos stumble out of one of the rooms along the corridor and looked at me lazily.

"Hey, you look vaguely familiar." He said while hiccupping, and spilling a bit of his drink.

"You're Charlie right? I saw you at Lakeside Park. It's me, Basil." I said, still finding the idea of a drunk pokemon to be pretty funny.

"Holy shit, you came here?" He said to me, asking a rather obvious question.

"Yep. I've got a friend of mine who wants to join you guys." I said as he steadied himself.

"Oh, well, I hope he can impress me. I'm in charge here after all!" He said, laughing slightly while taking another swig. Well, I can see why he hasn't been kicked out, that's for sure.

"He's one of the toughest and most independent people I know. He'll be a fantastic addition to this, er, thing you have going on here." I said, trying to score some brownie points for Nisbeth.

"I'll see about that, but you seem like a guy with his head on straight, so I'll put a bit of trust in you. Anyway, I'm coming, I'm coming!" Charlie suddenly yelled before charging down the stairs. All things considered, I really didn't see what Nisbeth saw in this place. Regardless, maybe their astronomer was a little more sane. Walking up to the top floor, I carefully knocked on the door. There was no response initially, so I knocked louder, the sound of the knock echoing behind me.

"Oh…come in." I heard a voice say from the other side that sounded a little more English than the southern accents that populated this continent. I found it hard to picture a pokemon being a scientist of all things, but I figured that it would have been one of the more intelligent species out there. However, what I saw, hovering in front of me, was one of the last things I ever expected to see. It was a being of white and gold, it's head dwarfing the side of its body. It was even smaller than I was, but it did not impact the shock and awe I had over seeing such a being. I wasn't even sure if they were real or not, but now that I've seen one, there was no mistaking it.

"Jirachi?!" I said, choking slightly.

"That's me." He replied, sounding very sleepy. "I only woke up ten minutes ago, so I'm still very sleepy. If I fall asleep on you, just give me a firm tap on the head, ok?" I barely noticed the odd state of his room, which would make him look like some kind of mad scientist if I really looked around, as my attention was fully fixed upon him. I must admit, I really don't see how a being like him would take orders from an alcoholic, but maybe jirachis were more common in this world. As hard as it would be, I'd have to act formal, yet not too formal.

"Well, uh, I suppose you'll be interested in this device here." I said, holding up the weapon, trying my best to not act too in awe, though I found my toes tapping the ground in stress regardless.

"Yeah…when I heard you were in New Australia, I became interested." He said slowly, taking the weapon from me using telekinesis. "They've given us a lot of wondrous technology, so I was hoping that this would be the latest from them…" He said as he inspected it closely. He rotated it in many directions with flawless command of telekinesis, presumably also observing it in the psionic plane.

"It's what I call 'the weapon.'" I said, though he didn't seem too impressed.

"…You just coated a braixen wand with explosive powder, didn't you." He said, still sounding like he wished he was asleep. "Well, go ahead and demonstrate it then I guess."

"…Very well." I said as he handed the weapon back to me. This hadn't gone well so far, judging by his reactions, so I had to make up for it somehow quickly! "So, is there an open window I can fire this thing out of?" I asked, as I saw him open the window to his left with a simple flick of his hand.

"Proceed…" He said as I ran over to the window and pointed the weapon outside it.

"See, I ignite a small pocket of explosive powder with my psychic abilities, and…" I said as I detonated the powder, throwing an explosion in front of the weapon.

"Basic, crude…yet, I'm curious." He said, taking the weapon off me again. "When I see this, I don't think 'What a technological marvel!', but I do think 'How has no one came up with this yet?' It's very simple, yet you must have really thought outside the box to use a braixen wand to propel explosions like this. Quite clever to use the flow of the psionic plane as done so in the wand to really push something like this. Mind if I keep this for the night? I'm wanting to see what else 'the weapon' can throw."

"Of course, Jirachi, but, uh, I want something in return." I said as he sighed.

"Well, that was obvious. New Australians charge so much for this sort of service…" He said, checking his funds. "Here: Thirty thousand poke." I smiled broadly when I saw the vast amount of money he presented me with. It was hard to tell how much this would be in pounds, but it'd certainly solve my money problems for several weeks!

"Two more things: One, could you please not break it, and secondly, I have a friend who wishes to join the excursion club. Could you possibly put in a good word for him to try and convince Charlie to let him in?" I asked, making sure I was getting what I actually came here for.

"Considering you New Australians always try to push for higher costs, I'll take it. You're the first person to accept my first offer." He said, starting to sound a little more awake. "I'll have some fun with this tonight. Come by at ten o'clock next morning to pick it up. Don't worry, I'll try not to break it, and I'll go tell the boss about your friend now." Well, that went even better than expected! Finally, a huge stroke of luck went my way! Nisbeth noticed the huge smile that was glued to my face when I walked down to meet him.

"Got some fat stacks here, _and_ I got Jirachi to help you!" I said, continuing to grin widely. Speaking of Jirachi, I saw him float down the stairs behind the reception desk and into an office in one of the ground floor corridors.

"Ah, I see you've met him. It was a bit of a shock to see a jirachi work here when I first saw him." He said, though he stalled slightly afterwards, looking unsure about him. "I really hope I left a good impression on him all those years ago."

"He's probably forgotten about you completely to be honest. Anyway, when are you-" I said, but I was cut off by the receptionist.

"If Nisbeth would go to Charlie's office to the right for his interview, that would be great." She said, looking more impatient by the second.

"Well, don't fuck this up buddy." I said, smiling at him as he slowly walked towards the office. Well, I had done all I could now. It was all down to Nisbeth and Charlie now. I drummed my feet impatiently on the ground as the minutes passed like hours. Perhaps I could have a quick word with Charlie about Melinda if he had time. Since I already met him, I had my foot in the door, and I'd have two if Nisbeth was accepted. He seemed friendly enough, at least when he was plastered off his face, so the time after the interview seemed as good as any. Drumming my fingers against the seat, I started becoming impatient, though I had to calm myself. I too wanted to appear presentable to him, even if Charlie made an effort to be as unpresentable as possible. Seeing the tough looking pokemon walking around, I felt even more on edge than usual, especially considering how I left the weapon with Jirachi. I felt almost completely defenceless, and I dared not even make eye contact with some of them. Eventually, I heard the door swing open loudly from the corridor, followed by the sound of rapid footsteps. Could it be?!

"Basil, I did it!" I heard Nisbeth said as he ran towards me, looking the happiest he had ever been. He practically skipped across the floor as he went to high-five me. Obliging him, I stood on the chair and jumped off it so I could reach his hand.

"I told ya I could get you in!" I said happily after landing on the floor.

"Ahem…I should calm down and act mature. Charlie wanted an older recruit to act as an example to some of the younger members." Nisbeth said, though he was clearly struggling to hide his excitement.

"There; I think that makes up for having you look after me for the past several days, right?" I said, chuckling slightly.

"Well, I suppose it does, but don't think about it that way. Well, I'm allowed guests in the living quarters overnight with Charlie's permission here, so hopefully we can convince him to let you stay a couple of days here until you can find a place of your own. That being said, when I saw him last time he wasn't as…well…drunk. I heard he's taking a real love to alcohol recently." He said as I shrugged.

"Probably worked in our favour. Anyway, let's ask him, shall we?" We said as I jogged beside him to knock on the office door.

"Oh, hello Nisbeth, was there anything you forgot to ask?" He said, finishing the rest of his bottle before throwing it into the large bin in the corner of the room. I saw that there were many bottles there, so I guess he really did make a habit out of this.

"I do, and so does Basil here." Nisbeth said, taking his turn to ask first. "I know you allow guests in the living quarters if they are friends of one of the members. I was thinking that maybe he could stay for a couple of days until he can find a place of his own to stay."

"Sure, sure just uh…" Charlie said, rummaging through a bunch of files clumsily. "Yeah, bureaucracy, but it has to be done." He handed Nisbeth yet another form. He looked a little sick of filling in the blasted things, but it was easily worth it in the end.

"Right…oh, and you were wanting to ask something Basil?" He asked me, his head swaying slightly.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a long shot, but has anyone named 'Melinda' shown up here recently." I asked as he thought about this for a moment, probably trying to get his memory in order.

"Nope, sorry. What species is she? I'll let you know if we hear of any Melinda showing up." He said as I suddenly felt on edge.

"…I honestly don't know. I heard she was a friend of my sister who moved to Newer Orleans about a couple of years before I did. I know my sister eventually moved to New Australia, but…eh, I'm just curious." I said, trying to brush off the topic as much as possible. "My sister, she, uh, doesn't care to mention people's species."

"…And she was born and raised in Conviction? Thought everyone there took species so seriously that they don't even call each other by their names there." He said, eying me with curiosity, and probably suspicion too.

"Why do you think we left?" I said as he nodded lazily.

"Ok, well, if that's everything, then I want you to rest up well Nisbeth. I've already got some work planned out for you tomorrow." He said as Nisbeth smiled happily.

"I'll do my best." He said as we were shown to Nisbeth's new room by the receptionist.

"By the way, expect to be asked to do reception duty every once in a while Nisbeth, so it's not all 'woo, exciting adventures!'" The froslass said. "By the way, the name's Layla."

"Well, goodnight Layla." Nisbeth said politely as we entered the room.

"Looks like I'll have to have to try and find another way to find her then." I said, finally letting my disappointment free. "I can perhaps try my old method and ask her to meet me in a populated area with that song code thing."

"It got you in trouble the last time though, so I don't think that's a good idea." Nisbeth said. He had a point, but I couldn't think of anything else right now.

"Well, if I come up with a better idea, I'll do that. I hope Murphy's fine, since I never got a chance to say goodbye to him. Finding him might be a pain in the arse since we don't have any phones here. I'm wanting to try and get him fixed up at one of the theatres here since I almost got the poor guy killed…" I said, trailing off and shaking my head. "If I can do that in the earlier parts of the afternoon, then I can put up the notices during the late afternoon."

"You should ask to meet her here. This is probably the safest place in town. Still, it'll be a long shot if she could be anyone – and anywhere – in this world." Nisbeth said.

"I know, but look at what you've accomplished today. Maybe I'll strike gold tomorrow too." I said, smiling as I climbed onto the only guest bed in the room. "Not gonna lie, today's been a pretty wonderful day. To top it all off, the beds are actually decent here!"

"It's the little things in life I suppose. I have to say, I really made the right decision sticking with you. I almost feel young again!" He said happily before he shut the curtains.

"Better late than never for an adventurous life. I've not got experience with being old, but adventure? Yeah, these last days have been quite something for me." I said, chuckling slightly as I wrapped the covers around me.

"I'm sure things will turn out well regardless for you. Goodnight Basil." Nisbeth said. Now that I was here in Newer Orleans, I did feel a fair bit happier. Well, as they would say in the human equivalent of this place, 'Laissez les bon temps roulez!'


	13. Witch Hunt

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 13: Witch Hunt

"Hey Basil, time to get up." Nisbeth said, nudging me. "You've been sleeping for almost twelve hours."

"Do I have to..." I mumbled in my sleep before opening my eyes slightly.

"Guests aren't supposed to stay past nine o'clock. Heard a rowdy one trashed the place a couple of years ago, so they only allow them to sleep here, not stay." He said as I rolled out of bed, barely landing on my feet.

"Fuck's sake...eh, I shouldn't oversleep though. So, what have you got lined up for today?" I asked.

"I'll find out in five minutes." He said as we walked towards entrance hall. To my left, I saw a basement that was off limits to all but the high ranking members from the looks of things, which was obviously the best way to make me curious about what was down there.

"Well, I'll have to leave you again for a bit. Guests aren't allowed in the briefing room unfortunately." Nisbeth told me.

"Someone's been doing their research this morning." I responded, chuckling slightly.

"Want to help make a good impression to show that it was the right choice to take me in, right? Well, see ya in a bit!" He said as I decided to slump down on the same seat I used when waiting for Jirachi. Thankfully, things weren't nearly as tense this time round, and after three minutes, I saw several pokemon rush down the large staircase at different speeds. Nisbeth was one of the slower ones and didn't seem too happy when he took his seat behind the reception desk.

"So, this is it for your first day then?" I asked as he nodded.

"Yup. It's gonna be a little dull, but someone has to do it. Wonder why they don't just hire a dedicated receptionist? I'm probably out of practice when it comes to speaking to lots of people like this, but isn't that a bit of an adventure in and of itself? Anyway, I probably shouldn't casually chat too long like this. Didn't you say you needed to see Jirachi at about ten o'clock?" Nisbeth said, doing his best to look interested.

"Yep, already got the form here." I replied, showing him.

"Well, you've got about forty-five minutes, so you might as well wander around the public areas while you wait." He said as he shooed me away to deal with a customer. Taking no offence and his advice, I wandered outside onto the grounds to see what they had set up. Walking around, it seemed like they sectioned off some of the grounds for combat training, and it seemed like non-members could pay for advanced fighting lessons of some kind. Well, I already had the weapon, so it wasn't exactly in my interest. What was in my interest, however, was the strangest looking sandslash I had ever seen. It looked pale blue for the most part, but the most shocking part was the quills on its back. Looking closely, they were made out of solid ice! Could I even call it a sandslash? Would I have to call it an iceslash, or a snowslash, or something else entirely?! How peculiar – did this world just treat certain pokemon differently? This would be a pokemon researcher's goldmine right here.

Watching it spar with an electabuzz, I couldn't help but scribble down many notes about how it battled the opponent. It seemed to be a little slower and stiffer compared to its more earthly counterpart, but many times more sturdy. It took thunder-punches to the face like nobody's business, and after freezing part of the ground in front of it, it very suddenly charged at his opponent, taking advantage of the electabuzz's slight loss of balance and pulverized it. Melinda would have freaked over this, but if I find her, I could tell her all about this in time. At least, I hoped so. It wasn't the only odd-looking pokemon. On the far side of the sparring grounds, I could see a marowak fighting with strange turquoise fire. He or she looked just as competent, leaping around with great agility. Getting closer, I took notes from this specimen too, and before long, it was time to pick up the weapon.

"Hello Jirachi, I've come to pick up the weapon." I said after knocking on the door.

"Just a second...Basil, is it?" He asked, sounding like he was moving a lot of stuff. A short moment later, he opened the door from the other side of the room and invited me in. "Well, Basil, I've got some exciting things to show you here before I go to bed. With your ingenuity and my magnificent intellect, I managed to make this crude, yet admittedly genius piece of technology into something much better!"

"Er...what did you do to it? I really need it to do what it used to be able to do, else-" I said, stuttering over my words slightly as he held his finger up to me.

"Don't worry, it can still propel explosions. Not sure why you'd really need to do so when you can just give your opponents a good psionic blast, but maybe it could be later developed into something bigger if we spend more time on this." He said, as I became a little uncomfortable about the idea of pokemon making weapons for themselves on a large scale. Something about not interfering with the development of alien species too much.

"It saves energy. Only takes a tiny amount to trigger an explosion." I said as he put his finger up again.

"It can do more than that now. See about that whole easy explosion triggering? Well, I wrapped it in this fabric that's only created in Fremdesland. There's a unique plant who's fibres make for some borderline heatproof material. If this invention of yours gets caught in the flames and its wrapped in the cloth, it'll be fine! Observe!" He said, putting the weapon on the table. The strange, murky orange fabric surrounded the weapon entirely except for the tip. I had several questions about this, but before I could raise a single one, he already conjured some flames and doused the weapon in them. I briefly screamed in horror, thinking the weapon could be destroyed, and yet, no harm came to it.

"Touch it – it's not even hot!" He said proudly as I took his word for it. Lo and behold, he was correct!

"Now it's no longer so fragile! That's just the beginning though! As you probably know, it has the potential to propel more than just explosions! I've been experimenting with several things so far, and I'll show you my favourite! Now, promise you won't panic, will you?" He asked, but before I could respond yet again, he suddenly pointed it at me and half a second later, I suddenly found myself several feet closer to the wall I was facing. I leapt about a foot in the air in shock as I desperately tried to orient myself, trying to figure out where I was.

"I told you not to panic, Basil. We just swapped locations. I've been experimenting with a lot of teleportation with this thing, and this is what interests me the most. It's a far quicker and more efficient way to zap around the place, even if its short range. Observe!" He said proudly and aimed it at the ceiling above and activated it. In the blink of an eye, he was on the ceiling. By this point, he was clearly just having fun as he used it to teleport from wall to wall before using the weapon to warp right in front of me.

"True, this, er...'the weapon', as you call it is still very basic, but it's this left-field thinking that perhaps could be the birth of a new branch of technology and science! You've given me a lot to think about, and as for tomorrow night, I'm going to get my hands on a braixen wand and make my own! I'd charge you for some of the modifications I made to it, but I'm happy to throw them in as a bonus for the progress I made!" He said, sounding maddeningly cheerful. It was a far cry from the Jirachi I met last night for sure. Jirachi handed the weapon to me as I started to inspect it. Opening up the covering and looking real closely, I could see different powders coating the different grooves of the weapon.

"See that pale blue stuff there? That allows you to swap locations with whatever you fire it at, though it only works on living things. The darker stuff just allows you to warp next to whatever you're pointing at. Just don't abuse it too much to avoid teleportation sickness, ok?" He said, laughing as he looked across his blackboard. It was covered in many different formulas and equations, and I recognized a few of them, but if I were to guess, he was more into chemistry than physics. "Oh, by the way, Audrey thinks you should apply. You know, the archaeologist here?"

"Er...why would I want to apply? I don't really have much of an interest here if I'm being perfectly honest." I said, shrugging slightly.

"Well, you seemed to have moved here recently from what I've heard and you don't have a job. Now don't get me wrong, I don't see why she's interested in you having you join, but she did say that coming up with more out-there inventions and technology could really help us. Over the years, we've been forced to branch out since we pretty much know the entire planet by now. It's why I became more of an astronomer with a general science interest, which is only fitting for a genius like me, while she went into archaeology. We've pretty much mapped out the entire planet by now, but there are still many secrets out there. Don't say this to your friend just yet, but we're probably planning to try and nudge him in a direction that suits his talents. The world doesn't really need dedicated explorers any more, after all." He said as I thought about it for a short while. All things considered, it just seemed like a distraction from finding Melinda.

"By any chance, are any of you guys researching the surge of humans coming to this world over the past few months?" I asked, wondering if they were doing anything regarding this. They may not know where Melinda is, but if they were looking into such things, then maybe hanging around them could be a good idea.

"...Charlie told...excuse me. Stay there and don't touch anything." He said, suddenly sounding concerned as he floated past me. Did I somehow offend him? Did I touch on a sensitive issue here? It didn't take him long to return however, as I saw him come back with Charlie, looking a little less plastered than usual. I think it might have been the first time I saw him without a bottle of booze on him!

"Basil, you should leave." Charlie said rather suddenly. "We don't have time for questions. Pack up anything you have and go. Oh, and don't come back."

"But why?! I just-"

"Now!" He ordered, and given he still looked under the influence, I figured it wasn't a good idea to argue with someone who was potentially volatile

"Charlie, don't you think this is ridiculous?!" I heard a feminine voice say to my right as we started descending towards the ground floor. A mawile came jogging towards us with a ruler and magnifying glass still in her hand, and she didn't seem to like this sudden and brash decision.

"I'll explain after Basil is out of here. I'll be having a word with Nisbeth about this too." Charlie replied, sounding oddly stern as I was shown the way to my room and quickly gathered up what little supplies I had.

"Er, did Basil do anything bad?" Nisbeth asked us as we walked by the reception desk, though he was promptly ignored as I was left by the entrance gates.

"Sorry, we can't take any chances. Please don't come back Basil. If you're not one of them, then I'm real sorry, but hopefully you understand why we can't take any chances." Charlie said before suddenly turning around and strutting back towards the impressive building before I could even ask anything about what the fuck was going on here. I started worrying about Nisbeth would be doing, and if his position in the Excursion Club would be affected. Seemed like that they would be no help when it came to finding Melinda after all. Such a pity. Well, I might as well see if I can find Murphy and give him a helping hand now.

"Wait, Basil, don't leave yet!" I heard someone shout from behind me. It was Audrey, waving towards me and running my way. I gave her an odd look, but if there were any answers she could give me about all this, then it'd be worth hearing her out.

"Sorry about what happened to you." She said as she approached me, looking a little sad.

"Care to explain what the fuck that was about?" I asked firmly.

"It's uh…when you asked Jirachi about whether we were researching the human arrivals to our world, it seemed like he and Charlie thought there was a chance that you were part of the Pale Communion." She said as a frowned slightly.

"I guarantee you, I'm not. I'm just curious about what happened to them, and why they're coming here. Just wondering if you knew anything about that." I asked as she slowly shook her head.

"Sorry, we're not looking into that right now. As for not being a Pale Communion member, no one would admit to being one, and given their, ahem, 'interest' in humans, you can maybe see why you looked a little suspicious. Listen, I don't believe you are, and I'll try talking Charlie into letting you back in. Seems such a shame that you were able to get Nisbeth to join us, yet you're not even allowed on our grounds." Audrey said, sounding sympathetic.

"It's a shame I can't see Jirachi anymore to try developing the weapon right here, but, eh, what can you do. By the way, Jirachi said you wanted me to apply to join this club thing you have here. You never even spoke to me before this, so…why?" I asked as she stalled a bit.

"Well, Jirachi, as you've probably seen, is very full of himself. I think he needs a bright person like you who can challenge some of his…incorrect theories among other things, not to mention he seemed to like the way you think about science stuff. Don't ask me though, I'm an archaeologist!" She said, laughing slightly. "I think you'd do a world of good for us, and it seemed like you needed a job of some sorts."

"Well, I suppose I do, but I'm not in dire need of one right now." I said, mumbling slightly, starting to think more about Murphy and Melinda.

"Well, I'll try to convince Charlie to let you back in. Plenty of people can be curious about humans without wanting them dead! Why, you'd have to block out all the human worshippers for that! I'll go speak some sense into him. It helps when I'm also second in command of this place! Well, good luck, and if I manage to get Charlie to reverse his decision, I'll come find you, or send someone else." She said as I smiled at her slightly.

"Well, good luck with that then." I replied, wanting to be polite as I waved her goodbye. Given they didn't study humans at all, then they'd likely be useless to me. As for the whole job aspect, it didn't interest me, since if Melinda wasn't in Newer Orleans, then I'd have no reason to hang around here. Guess it was time to find Murphy and see if I could help him get into some theatre around here.

Shuffling between the taller, heavier pokemon on the roads, I made my way back to the small entertainment district. I saw it was about half past ten on one of the local sundials, so I assumed he would be already there. On a nearby tower, I saw a couple of gurdurrs building what looked like a clock of some kind. Perhaps it was a very recent invention in these lands. I approached the smallest theatre and walked inside, hoping that Murphy would have followed my advice. It wasn't very well lit, and it looked rather dusty and dirty in places, so perhaps this wasn't really the place to suggest after all. Still, I guess you had to start small, so I hoped that he'd quickly graduate to better places.

"Ah, I see you!" I said, smiling, and pointing at the heliolisk, waiting at the reception desk.

"Basil! I didn't think you were going to show up, so I went by myself. Yeah, kind of hard to organize things when that toxicroak dragged you away like that." Murphy said, sounding happy just to be here. "Oh, I think I've got an audition for this afternoon! They're just discussing it in that room right there!"

"This is wonderful Murphy! As promised, I'm gonna help you ace that trial for you in any way I can. How does it work?" I asked.

"Well, if they see me as having any form of potential, they'll give me a script to practice for the next few hours." He said, keeping his eyes on the door. "Come on, come on comeoncomeoncomeoncomeon!"

"Saying 'come on' over again won't make them come any faster." I said, chuckling slightly. The door suddenly opened right after I said those words, and a gardevoir walked out.

"I think someone got proven wrong!" Murphy said, laughing happily as he ran over to meet her.

"So, did I get an audition?" He asked, practically bouncing slightly on the spot.

"Yes, you did. Here you go." The gardevoir replied, sighing slightly, and giving him a few sheets of paper. "Now, be sure to get back here in plenty of time. Two-forty-five, and no later."

"Thank you! I'll be sure to wow everyone here! Say, is there somewhere here we can practice?" He asked as the gardevoir shook her head, looking preoccupied with something else.

"No. Got rehearsals." She said simply. Seemed a little rude, but she did look very busy.

"Well, I'd better find somewhere to practice then!" Murphy said enthusiastically, glancing at his script.

"Still got that hostel room?" I asked

"I do indeed. Come on Basil, let's go there now!" He said, taking me through the busy streets. He held my arm tightly, practically dragging me to the place where he was staying at, as I found my legs almost completely giving way from how fast they were moving.

"Murphy, if you insist on moving that fast, you should probably have carried me on your back." I said, gasping for breath, and rubbing my aching legs and feet.

"Hehe, I should have really done that." He said as I looked at the hostel in front of us. It looked like a complete shithole, but given I've been staying in a grotty shack and camping for most of the days I've been here, it didn't seem all that bad to me now. Walking inside, the cleaner in front of us looked disgruntled as I watched him clear up a pile of vomit on the floor.

"That wasn't me, I swear." Murphy said politely to the minccino, who just sighed at us.

"Parents are having me work on the weekends. Gets me money I suppose." He said as Murphy took me to his room. It was very bare, with just a bed and…that was it. Literally just a bed in a tiny room. Thankfully, neither of us were exactly big pokemon, or we wouldn't have been able to fit in the room!

"Mind if I have a look at the script?" I asked as he gave it to me. Seemed like the audition would involve him playing one character while the examiner would play the other. Excellent! I'd just play the character the examiner would be playing and just go over this again and again until Murphy starts nailing his parts! Telling Murphy my idea, he seemed fully on board.

"Yay! Now I reckon we outta make this dramatic!" Murphy said as I held up my hand.

"I agree, but don't take it too far, or you'll look stupid." I said as I read over my lines. It read like Shakespeare…except it was pretty bad. The whole thing seemed like someone was trying to transcribe Hamlet from memory, but did a completely terrible job of it. In fact, it kind of made sense in a way; perhaps the people that came here initially and uplifted the pokemon from their savage ways tried to give them the play from memory to try and give them a bit of the human culture, but just did a bad job of it. Well, I can at least appreciate the effort, even if some of the lines were butchered, and others completely and utterly wrong. Either that, or he brought a copy of the play with him and it ended up being lost or destroyed somehow, so the pokemon here tried their best to re-create it.

"This is…interesting. Well, seems like you're playing Hamlet and I'm Horatio. I suggest we make a start on this." I said, chuckling slightly; the names were literally the _only_ thing they got right!

"Ahem…I am happy to see you, Hamlet, but why are you in Winterburg?" I read, doing my best to act and annunciate in Shakespearian fashion, but the poorly written mess was making it very difficult. I'm pretty sure they even mixed up the two parts, since I'm sure this was supposed to be one of Hamlet's lines, so you can even scratch name accuracy off the list! Thankfully, Murphy had no problem fully buying into all this, and was already throwing himself into the rehearsal as if it was a stage performance.

"I was away attending to my business, Horatio!" He said, putting on a rich, dignified voice. It was a little cheesy, but he seemed to be getting the spirit of things down at least.

"Spare me your violent rhetoric, for I have come to examine your affair!" I said, taking a step towards him and pointing dramatically, as the script told me to.

"Nay, Horatio, for I have news from the king!" He announced, shaking his head, and raising his arm into the air. Wow, no wonder this theatre was struggling! After the horribly inaccurate scene that didn't even make sense started to sink in and the nonsensical lines started burying their way into our heads. It was difficult to not laugh at times, but Murphy seemed determined to make the shitty script work, even if he didn't seem are of just how bad it was.

"You're getting pretty good at this!" I said happily. "Though just be careful on how you're pronouncing 'sovereignty.' You need to make every word crystal clear."

"Hehe, thanks! You're quite good too! You could audition later on if you wanted to." Murphy said as I shook my head.

"Well, I did a bit of drama in my school days, but it's unlikely, since you know what other business I have to attend to. Anyway, from the top, Murphy!" I said as we continued with our practices, and after a short while, Murphy became pretty impressive. He probably couldn't carry the awful script, but an enthusiastic and energetic performance would make things considerably less painful to watch.

Eventually, it was time for us to head out, and I could sense a little bit of nervousness from Murphy as we left the hostel.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"A little scared. This is what I've been dreaming of for years, but if I screw it up, then I reckon it'll all come crashing down." He replied as I tried to think of a way to encourage him.

"Well, if you believe your dreams will turn to dust if you fail…then make sure you don't fail." I said back to him. It was hardly the best of encouraging words, but it's what I often told myself to get myself through the exams at university.

"Well, if you say so." Murphy said after a short while as we entered the theatre.

"Murphy, your audition will start in twenty minutes. Come through here and we'll get you prepared." The gardevoir said after sending away a glum looking nidorina. I wonder if she failed her audition as she roughly pushed open the door behind me and walked out onto the streets.

"Can my friend come?" He asked as the gardevoir shook her head.

"Nope, they are private. He can wait in the lobby though, though we'll be about forty minutes in total." She replied.

"I can wait, don't worry. Best of luck Murphy!" I said, happily shaking his hand, and reaching up to pat him on the back. Just like with Nisbeth, I had done all I could to help him now. It was all in Murphy's hands now. I saw Murphy get lead into another room, where he vanished from sight. This wait was even worse than the last one, since I knew there was always a chance of Murphy's enthusiasm and cheeriness getting the better of him, possibly causing him to do something stupid. Regardless, when it came to crunch time when dealing with the Pale Communion, he fought admirably, so perhaps he was one of those people who performed well under pressure. If I was right, then it'd serve him well in his future career.

A short while later, I could hear the audition actually take place, and from the sounds of things, Murphy was performing even better than during our rehearsals back in the hostel. Right, he had to get accepted for sure here! A short while, I heard a small applause take place, and a moment after that, I heard Murphy squeal with delight. Good going Murphy; you made it happen!

"I did it Basil, I did it!" He said, charging out of the door and hugging me tightly. "Thanks for your help Basil!"

"Heh, no problem, but…you're kind of crushing me." I said as he quickly dropped me. "So, that was two dreams I helped come true while I was here."

"Almost makes up for nearly getting me killed back there!" Murphy said and howled with laughter. "I'm kidding, sorry about that."

"Ah don't be! Glad I was able to make it up to you after you helped me get here. You've been a great guy to me, so I wanted to do something in return." I said as his childlike glee subsided a little bit,

"So…how long will you be in Newer Orleans for? I'm gonna miss you when you're gone." He said as I stalled for a bit, suddenly feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Uh…I'll stay around for a few days to look for Melinda. If she's not here, then it may be time to say goodbye." I said, sighing somewhat sadly.

"Hey, you'll do what you need to do buddy. I'm sure you'll find her one day. Say, when you do, you will come back here and see me again, won't you?" He asked as I smiled somewhat sadly and nodded.

"Sure will buddy." I said. "So, got any work today?"

"I do! They want me to start right away. As in _right_ away, so I probably shouldn't spend much more time with you. Be sure to see me tomorrow, would you? I'll be free tomorrow evening!" He said, his voice being a little higher than usual.

"Of course; see you soon!" I said before turning around and leaving the building. Guess it was time to put up my spare notices before the Pale Communion could alert its members that I was here then! I had three of these notices left. Of course, I'd need to write over the meeting location and time. Eight o'clock, and just outside of the hostel that Murphy was staying at seemed like a good idea. I was thinking that one of them should be in the Excursion Club, given that it seemed like a busy place. Seemed like the sort of place Melinda might briefly visit if she was here, given she had a far greater love of the outdoors and adventure than I did, but how to put it up on the notice board when I wasn't even allowed inside? Thinking about this conundrum, I remembered about the modifications to the weapon that Jirachi gave me. That's it! I could use the weapon to teleport short distances! Nisbeth would surely know what to do with it if I put it through his window! Still, how could I test this thing safely?

Finding a fairy secluded spot, I aimed the weapon at the ground a few meters ahead of me and tried to detect where this teleportation powder or whatever Jirachi added to it was. It took a little while to detect it in the psionic plane, but I was able to feel it eventually, and a short second later, I activated it. Within a split second, I suddenly found myself about three meters in front of where I was. I jumped a little in shock, but I feel as though I had already gotten the hang of this! Excellent!

I looked for the spot on the Excursion Club building where Nisbeth's window was from outside the tall, fancy metal fence, hoping it'd be fairly quiet. Luck treated me kindly again, as it seemed like no one was there on that part of the grounds. All I'd have to do is warp next to the window, put the notice inside and get out of there! With the weapon, I could probably do it in ten seconds! Pointing the weapon through the gaps in the fence, I ignited the teleportation powder with my abilities and found myself instantly outside of Nisbeth's window. Quickly pushing the window open from the outside, I threw the note inside the room and turned around, teleporting myself to the ground just in front of the fence. Not wasting any time, I pointed it through the fence once more and soon found myself on the other side. Flawless! Looking at the weapon, I discovered that this was one friend I knew would never leave me! I should probably give it a proper name…

As for the other two notices, I thought about other places where she might go if she was here. I doubt she'd ever stay at such a crummy place, so I made my way over to one of the fancier hotels. I smiled happily when I was allowed to put up my cryptic notice for a few hours on the notice board outside for just a small fee. Now, where should I put the last notice? This was a bit of a long shot, but thinking back to our childhood days, she always wanted to spend her time near the docks of Scarborough when visiting our grandparents. Would she be interested on what the coastal parts of Newer Orleans were like? Quite likely.

Walking down there slowly, I felt the temperature slowly dropping as time made its way into the late afternoon. The buildings became a little more spaced out as the smell of the salty sea air met my nostrils. To think that it'd be my first time where I can gaze over the ocean in this world. Would this be like any old ocean, or something truly alien and spectacular? I assumed they may have had ships of some kind, and after dodging a couple of blastoises hauling cargo, I saw the harbour in front of me. I admit, it was rather quaint and small, yet it felt rather cosy just being here. Unlike a lot of people, I enjoyed the smell of fish. I saw crates of them being put upon dry land by the pokemon returning home from their day's work. I wondered how they would fish. The fishing boats looked very basic, but given a lot of the fishermen here looked like they could swim and catch fish just fine with their natural abilities, perhaps these boats were all it took. Part of me wanted to go see how they did it, but I had bigger priorities.

"E-excuse me, but do you mind if I put this notice up on this board here? There's, uh, plenty of space." I asked the swampert putting up and taking down notices. Speaking to one of these creatures still felt a little scary given my first encounter I had in this world.

"Go ahead." He said gruffly. "But I'm taking it down in the morning to make room for the others."

"Thank you." I said, wanting to get the conversation over with quickly as I pinned it up. Well, now all I had to do now was wait. It would have been nice to watch the sunset here, but sadly, this was the East coast. Still, it wasn't going to stop me from having a fish supper while sitting on the nearby wall to wait for the day to come to a close. It was way too salty for my tastes though, and it almost seemed like a bit of a scam to try and convince customers to buy some water alongside it. Sadly, I caved into their irritating yet clever business practices and gulped the water down in one go before lobbing it into the nearby bin. If I closed my eyes, I could almost see Melinda sitting beside me, talking and laughing away. Oh, how I missed her so much.

I spent the early evening wandering around town by myself for a short while to kill time. This may have been, in essence, 'Theme Park New Orleans', but I kind of liked this place. If, for whatever reason, returning home was impossible, then I could probably settle here. Why, I might end up having to beg for a job back at the Excursion Club or the theatres. Still, I feel as though I had skills I could give, and as long as I kept my head down about my identity, I could probably survive. Still, my friends and family back home...how would they be feeling with Melinda and I vanishing? I guess The Guardian of Forever would have a lot to explain...

I soon made my way back to the hostel in plenty of time and stationed myself outside it. I was twenty minutes early, just to make sure there was absolutely no chance of missing her. She was always early to arrive during any meetings or similar activities, so I was anticipating her to show up any moment now. Still, I probably shouldn't get my hopes up too highly, since the odds of her being here and getting my message were still pretty low. It didn't stop me from jumping slightly at the sight of every single pokemon that walked vaguely in my direction. I felt so tense that I was almost running in the spot in anticipation, my breathing becoming heavy and rapid. And it was about then that I heard it.

"Basil?" I heard a feminine, English voice say from round the corner of the building?

"M...Melinda?" I said, my voice squeaking slightly in shock and delight. Her voice sounded a little off, but then again, my voice had become a bit higher and more nasally ever since becoming a pokemon. We hardly had human vocal chords, so it made sense.

"It's me! Come round and through the streets, we can't be seen." She said as I tried my best to be silent and discreet. However, I wasn't so successful when I sprinted round the corner, but I couldn't see her. "This way." I heard her say as I kept following her faint voice round corner after corner as I made may way through the alleyways. Was my mission finally over? Did I really just find Melinda?

"Mel', I-" I said rather loudly before being cut off.

"Shh, we can't let them see or hear us." I heard her say as I approached the outskirts of the town. There was so much I had to say to her right now, but I put my full faith in her. There was the occasional time where we didn't put our complete trust in one another, but this was certainly not one of those times. Was I overly desperate? Was I wise to jump at the first possible sign? The answer came around at the edge of the city in the form with a sudden and terrifying blast of concentrated ice to my side. I screamed in surprise and pain as my left arm became numb as I struggled to stay on my feet. Gazing over to my left as I gripped the weapon in my right arm, I saw three menacing looking pokemon staring at me, clearly being members of the Pale Communion. Hah, how fitting that my overeagerness to find my sister again could cause my demise right here, right now. It wasn't the Pale Communion that was going to kill me, but my own stupidity. Just like Melinda did in the British Isles final, I ignored my plan and didn't get 'Melinda' to say the pass-phrase.

"You...'Melinda'...have no idea what you're up against!" I said, clumsily aiming the weapon at them in a last ditch attempt to intimidate them. "When a human kills you, you'll soon be wishing there wasn't an after life! Trust me, it's not worth the risk! You can ask that gallade and lurantis that yourselves when you join them!" Unfortunately, they clearly weren't having that as they suddenly charged at me, with teeth, fangs and all sorts of natural weapons primed and ready for the kill. They seemed too tough to attack them all with a single blast effectively so I swung round, and teleported myself somewhere. Anywhere would do, just as long as I was away from them! I found myself about twenty meters away from them, but sadly, it seemed like I was out of the city by now. Looking behind me, I could see even more of them coming from between the buildings, all starting intensely at me. I had to get back into the city somehow! But how?

I tried teleporting myself by aiming the best I could to a faraway building, but my sloppy, one armed aiming only got me to another tree a mere meter away. This was hopeless! How could I survive this?! Considering my options, I could think of only one thing: vanish into the darkness of the night, and try to sneak back. Seeing them rush at me once again, I turned around, and using my half-frozen arm as a rest, I aimed in the distance, praying that my shot would teleport me between the trees and allow me to get some real distance from these murderers! I didn't want to look out of raw fear, but I had no choice but to keep my eyes wide open. My balance staggered slightly as I completely lost track of where I was. Looking behind me, I could only make out the vague shapes in the darkness. Could they see in the dark well enough to know where I was? Could they smell me? Did they have any other senses that could rat me out? I mentally kicked myself once more for not paying attention, but I had to keep moving. From what I could see, I was at the top of a very small hill next to some huge tree. I couldn't recognize the type of tree, and nor did I care. All I cared about now was getting as far away from them as possible

I teleported myself down the hill once more, putting even more distance from myself and those beasts. I swore I could feel the blood rush throughout my entire body as I felt it start to sweat all over. How many more times could I teleport? I didn't have time to check as I started running for my life, hoping they wouldn't be able to track me. They didn't know where I was now, right? I knew that pokemon possessed a wide array of strange abilities, so I could never count upon my safety. I had to keep moving, no matter what. It doesn't matter how much my body cried out in pain; I wouldn't let it give way to petty exhaustion! I didn't see or sense anything for almost five minutes, but I could tell that they wouldn't give up the witch hunt that easily.

The night was black, with only the moon peeking through a small gap in the clouds. The air was think and still with tension, and looking back, I could see the vigilantes gathered on that lonely, now torch lit hill. Seems like they were going for strength in numbers here, as there could have been as many as ten of them now. The Guardian of Forever must have known about this, and for that, there is no forgiveness. How could they have known though?! Did one of the surviving members in the clash in the swamp turn around and go to Newer Orleans by themselves without us knowing? Well, here I was, being the victim of a series of bad decisions. Maybe Nisbeth was right; maybe I was being a reckless idiot. Well, I guess all I could do now is try to make the right choices to survive this manhunt. Figuring I had enough time to check now, I opened up the cover of the weapon and gazed at it in the psionic plane as I continued to flee. I counted three teleportation batches left alongside two 'switcher' ones. Past that, all I could do is blast them and hope for the best.

I could see their features distorted in the flickering light of their lit torches, moving vaguely in my direction. Assuming that at least one of them could track, I knew I had to throw them off somehow. By now, my arm was warm enough to use, even if it still felt frostbitten all over. Holding the weapon in both my arms, I aimed and teleported myself a good distance to the left, hoping that would throw them off my trail. Two charges left. That's all I had left. I knew I had to get back to the city somehow, since I knew I couldn't run forever, but how?! I suppose there was one method – if they split up enough, I could use the weapon to switch places from a large distance, which would hopefully leave just the ground between me and Newer Orleans, but how could I split them up?

I don't know exactly how far I had ran by this point, but I found myself in a field with a lot of crops that I found myself pushing through frantically. My breath had become completely erratic by now, and my neck was becoming sore from constantly looking over each shoulder in turn to see if any of them were nearby. Was the nearby rustling the sound of my own steps, or something else's? Was that sensation beneath my feet a tremor, or was it just fear tricking my senses. Oh, how I wish it was the latter! I started begging that I was insane and this was all some kind of mad delusion I was having, since at least then this terror would simply exist within my head. A second later, I heard something erupt from the ground as I felt something cut slightly into my back. I suddenly fell forward in complete shock, landing on my face. Rolling onto my back, I could see an excadrill, its face looking twisted and grotesque with tiny droplets of blood on its right claw. Needless to say, I knew who's blood that belonged to.

"I won't die!" I screamed as I rolled out of the way just as it was about to impale me with its gigantic, metal claw. Taking the opportunity, I blasted it with the weapon as it staggered back, screeching in pain. However, the weapon didn't feel too hot this time, possibly thanks to the covering that Jirachi gave it. That pokemon might have indirectly saved my life for the time being – and ended the life of that excadrill. I took a few quick steps forward, jabbed the weapon right at its throat and blasted it one more time. The result was a large hole where part of its neck should have been as it fell backwards, thrashing in animalistic panic and agony as blood flowed out of its neck and down its throat. I left that monster to choke on its on fluids as I left it behind, knowing that he was likely just the beginning.

Swiftly vaulting over the low fence, I swiftly climbed atop a tiny hill. I looked around to see Newer Orleans far behind me. Between the town and me, I saw the mob moving like possessed demons, slowly spreading out, torches in hand. How calming it must be to be so quiet in their conscience of what they were doing to my kind without even asking us why we were here or what we wanted. Must be so easy to be calm in their right to slaughter us all without mercy or trial. Why, when you ask no questions and are content be confident that your ways are best...well, I guess I see the appeal in such simple, barbaric ways. However, when looking at the city behind them, it's clearly to see that such accomplishments were not achieved through mindless slaughter! A part of me wanted to make a final stand against these filthy bastards, spitting in the face of brutality before it claimed my life. However, I was not some foolhardy hero. I'd much rather choose survival.

I knew that I'd probably be spotted if I went on the path, and I could be cornered if I fled to the coast, so I decided it'd be best if I stayed between them. When would be the best point to turn around and try and slip between them? It was too hard to tell. Checking the weapon, I had five explosive blasts left, but sadly, there were clearly more than five Pale Communion members out there, hunting me down as if I was a rare hunter's trophy. Still, the further I ran, the more they'd have to fan out. Maybe I'd get my chance then.

As much as I tried to ignore it, tiredness and pain were starting to set in as my muscles ached and the large cut on my back kept sending stabbing sensations through me. I couldn't keep moving at full speed for much longer, and I know there were pokemon out there that were way faster than me. The only thing that could save me, short of the Pale Communion making some very foolish mistakes, was the weapon. Nisbeth didn't know what was happening, and neither did Murphy. At what could be the twilight of my life, I now knew what it was truly like to be alone. I yelped in pain slightly as I accidentally stood on a sharp stick. With an injured foot, I could feel my chances of survival diminish even further. At this rate, I started wondering about how I was going to die rather than if.

The air around me started to get rather cold, which I would normally be grateful for, but this was no natural coldness. The creeping sensation reminded me of when I was attacked from the city outskirts, which lead me to believe that this was likely the pokemon masquerading as my sister, or maybe that was just a feeling I had. Regardless, that thing had to be there somewhere. Looking around, I saw something something in the palest blue move around rapidly, but I couldn't quite make out what it was. The way it moved reminded me of a ninetails. Always hated those things. Even though they couldn't speak, they always reeked of being completely pompous. Perhaps this pokemon was also very different in this world, which unnerved me, since I wasn't sure what they could do. I could always vaguely tell what pokemon were about to do through studying them in battle for so many years, but this was something else entirely.

In spite of the frosty nature of this creature, its eyes burned with hatred and ill-will, feeding on the fear and lies to beat, burn and kill every human whoever came here. Seemed like I was just the next in line to be axed. She didn't say a word to me, nor did I speak to the ninetails. We already knew what was about to happen, but she was standing too far away for the weapon to effectively blast her. Sadly, I couldn't think of a way out of this in time as I felt the blood in my veins start to cool slightly as I was swiftly overcome with freezing cold temperatures from within. I had no idea how she was even doing this, but sadly, it worked all to well as I fell to my knees, merely trying to stay alive. It mostly existed within my limbs, but I soon felt that deathly sensation spread towards my torso. Sorry Melinda; like me, you're now on your own. But, if you can grant me one final wish, let it be this: Kill everyone in the Pale Communion, and throw The Guardian of Forever in there too. Such as the crime for declaring war on mankind.

I saw her start to bare her fangs, presumably in preparation to execute me as I shivered helplessly. It was easy to forget that these creatures were carnivores, and from what I could tell about the Pale Communion, it wouldn't surprise me if they stooped low enough to devour their victims. However, even though I was almost too weak to hold the weapon, let alone aim it, I did have one, final trick up my sleeve. It likely stalled for enough time when I met the swampert, and it could buy me a few more seconds here. I started building unstable psionic energy within myself, getting ready to centre a small explosion from my location. The timing had to be perfect, and just as she lunged for my throat, I flicked my ears up, screamed in horror and blasted her and myself the exact second before her fangs would pierce my neck. It was hard to tell where I landed, but from feeling my surroundings, it seemed like I landed in a tree. The freezing sensation within my body was starting to subside, and I found myself still gripping the weapon in my right hand. My body hurt all over from the attack, but most importantly, I was still alive!

Looking down, I could see the strange ninetails looking around, but it didn't take her long at all to find me. She wasted no time directing a concentrated beam of ice towards me as I leapt from the tree branch, but just as I sprung out of the way, a stroke of genius crossed my mind. She was still to far away to be blasted effectively, so I fired something else at her. Triggering one of the batches of that strange switcher teleportation powder, I fired it at her as I fell, and I instantly found myself on the ground, while she was falling helplessly. She seemed to be completely caught off guard and looked like she wouldn't land on her feet. This was the moment, the chance! I would seize it here!

Rushing up to her as she hit the ground, I thrust the weapon right on her left eye and fired before she had a chance to react. There was no left eye anymore; only a gaping, bleeding hole, filled with blood, bone fragments, and even bits of brain out there. A brutal death for a brutal pokemon; how fitting. No time to waste. With two of them dead, I may have thinned their numbers enough for me to be able to sneak back. I'd have to take the chance now before I succumb to my exhaustion and injuries. Keeping low, I moved through the bushes, listening out closely for the Pale Communion members. Thankfully, their torches were likely working against them now, as they acted like signals, telling me where they were in the surrounding blackness. I still hard warp charges left, though they were running out. I didn't have many options or tools remain to keep on living, but I'd be sure to exhaust them all before I'd let the reaper get anywhere near me!

From the left, I saw a pokemon I couldn't quite make out with a torch. I could see it, but it probably couldn't see me if I stayed absolutely still. In a way, I almost wish that ninetails would come back and freeze me, because staying still with all the adrenaline proved to be a daunting task! It stopped briefly and looked around. All I could tell about it is that it was bipedal from its body shape, so I had no idea if it could smell me. It wouldn't be hard since I was covered in sweat by this point. It felt so thick that it could have been blood for all I know, but I wasn't going to move even the smallest muscle to check. Eventually, it left and walked past me. It would probably come across the dead ninetails soon, which would probably only increase their fervour and determination to see me ripped to bloody ribbons.

Keeping low and silent, I pushed on. In the distance, I could see more torch bearing pokemon moving around; listening, looking, hunting. Such a shame they see us humans as strangers who threaten them, like an undesirable immigrant or infidel. There may be strangeness that's too dangerous for some people, and as long as I was here, I guess I just have to live with the constant peril. But they'd find me eventually. Really, I was just staving of the inevitable. One of these days, I wouldn't get so lucky. As for the Pale Communion, I guess they'll always believe they know what's best for us, rising to save us from ourselves.

Staring down the slope, I saw two pale communion members in the distance, though I had a feeling that there was more. I could feel the wind brush the fur on my back, gently stroking me. It might have felt nice if my body wasn't a shivering wreck by this point, but that would turn out to be the least of my problems. As fate would have it, it seemed like it carried by sweaty stench towards them, and watching it move briefly, it suddenly turned to look at where I was. It didn't seem to look directly at me, but it was close enough – it clearly knew I was nearby. It seemed to gesture to its friend to stay still as it started moving cautiously towards my direction. If I ran now, I'd surely be seen from the sudden movements, so I had no choice but to use one a teleportation charge to throw him off. Aiming the weapon to the left, I fired it at a tree a good distance away. That should throw that pokemon off. However, I only threw myself into even greater peril as I found myself next to an angry looking linoone.

"HE'S HERE!" It shrieked at the top of its voice, but I soon silenced him with a blast to the mouth. While he didn't look like much of a fighter, he might have sadly been the smartest one, for after seeing him, I could see many strange shapes moving towards me in all directions. Some with torches, some without. This fight was an absolute no-win scenario now, and there's no way I could fight them all off, or hide from each and every single one. I heard strange growling from all around me, as my breathing became faint out of sheer terror. There was only one option left – swap places with one of them and make a dash towards Newer Orleans, even though there was almost no chance I could make it there in time. However, it would not be for a lack of effort!

Standing out in the open, I took aim and fired at an aggron holding a torch. I just hoped that it was powerful enough to be able to teleport him to where I was standing! Immediately after activating the weapon, I started running right before I used it, using all the momentum I could get to start what could be the finale of this deadly race. The ground felt almost the same after the swap took place, and peering behind me, I could see that they looked confused for a second, but they soon caught onto what was happening. No where to hide now, and my legs and my final teleportation charge were all I had left. Out of desperation, I tried aiming a little higher than normal as I sprinted down the slope, hoping I'd maybe hit a building in the city, but all it did was warp me a good distance away, not to mention in mid air! I fell for about three meters, hitting the ground hard as my legs gave way. I wasted no time getting up to continue my escape. Did that buy me enough time? I could not tell as I saw the torch-lit shapes charging down the path towards me, some of them moving far faster than I could.

Quick to judge, quick to anger, and slow to understand. Ignorance, prejudice and fear walked hand in hand it seems. Sadly, death made for good bedfellows with all of these things. Just off to the left and through some trees, I thought I saw some other Pale Communion member, carrying a strange coloured torch that looked almost turquoise. It didn't move initially, but suddenly, it seemed like the number of strange torches multiplied twentyfold as I swore I could feel the power emanating from this strange pokemon. I shuddered to think that I may have summoned their leader somehow, and this time, there was no fighting or getting away. Then, the strangely coloured torches – which turned out not be torches at all – suddenly flew off into the air and stalled suddenly. Hah, what a brilliant, spectacular death for Basil Squire. I guess there many have been a strange honour in getting killed by such a powerful looking thing, but it seems like those fireballs were not aimed at me, since the suddenly all flew down like a deadly meteor storm, crashing into and burning the Pale Communion members in a spectacular blaze of destruction. Was this strange pokemon on my side?! Oh, how grateful I was to have an ally here! Oh, and how the tides continued to change when I finally saw the big fat mouth of one of my blue best friends.

"Nisbeth!" I yelled happily as I almost collapsed near him.

"More help is coming Basil!" He said, wanting to get into the point as quickly as possible. Behind him, I saw Audrey and Charlie come running towards us, both of them looking ready for combat, yet upon closer inspection, they seemed to be more than ready. The twin mouths and the flowing white mane were unmistakable, as they ran past me as Nisbeth ran into the fray. I soon saw that it was a very good idea not to piss off Charlie, as he brought lightning raining down in them in great force. Holding the weapon, I realised that while I was far weaker than them, I couldn't leave Nisbeth like this. I charged back in and joined the fight, blasting anyone who dared get near me. It was only now that I could see that the pokemon who saved me initially was one of those strange marowaks I saw this morning; perhaps the same one? It leapt around gracefully, scoring decisive strike after strike with its ignited bone. It wasn't long until some other pokemon behind me joined in as it seems like I now had a small army on my side. They must have included the police force as I saw many of the Pale Communion get arrested.

Between these professional looking fighters, the Pale Communion were soon brought to defeat, and rounded up one by one. Ah...such as you deserve for trying to murder Basil Squire. Smiling, I suddenly turned around to see that linoone take one final desperate lunge at me, but all it got was a blast to the face, knocking it on the ground as it screamed in pain.

"Thank you, Meowstic." A tyranitar said to me as he approached Charlie.

"We'll take it from here. Thanks for your assistance and letting us know. Oh, you may want to turn yourselves normal now. You know what happens when you force yourselves into that form for too long and why it's illegal. Trust me; I know from personal experience." He said formally.

"Oh, of course." Charlie responded as he and Audrey turned back into their original forms.

"While we're here...Basil, is it? Were there any casualties when you were presumably running for your lives? Be honest; it'll save me a lot of time." He asked, and I wasn't at all in the mood do disagree with the law enforcement after narrowly escaping from a bunch of mad cultists.

"Yeah...I killed two of them in self defence up there. An excadrill and a ninetails." I said honestly.

"Well, they'd have killed you if they had the chance. Such as the Pale Communion does whenever they get the chance if they even think you might be a human." He said, writing down some notes. "Don't worry, there'll be no trouble for you for this, even if we'd have preferred them alive. Really, we owe you a huge thanks for luring out twelve of them. I'm sure we can convince one of them to tell us who's all a member here or not, and with any luck, they'll be all ratted out of Newer Orleans. You might have helped save the lives of any humans hiding there, be it intentional or not." He smiled at me, which looked rather strange for such a big and scary pokemon, but I wasn't complaining.

"Well...hope that helps you and Newer Orleans as a whole then." I said before he gathered the rest of his officers and returned to the town. I stumbled up to Charlie who was speaking with Audrey and tapped him on the arm.

"See? I'm not part of the Pale Communion!" I told him, giving a very hollow and sarcastic laugh.

"That we know." He said firmly and smiled, as I heard a strange whistle from just up the road. Taking a few steps forward to see what it was, I could see the marowak just ahead at the top of the little hill, standing in front of the moon, and staring down at me intensely from down the slope with a look that could only be described as nostalgia personified.

"...Rising with the full moon, to go howling into the night. I want to look at life, in the available night." She said as I suddenly found myself shivering as I dropped to my knees as emotion overcame me. It was in many ways indistinguishable from the way my body felt earlier on when I was fearing for my life, yet for the exact opposite reasons as I found my vision becoming blurry from the tears that were lining my eyes.

"Is...is that you? It...it can't be!"


	14. The Face of Melinda

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 14: The Face of Melinda

"Melinda...I've been searching all over for you! Y...you're here! You're alive!" I said, crying softly as I picked myself as I ran over to her. This time it was my turn to deliver the hug, but she seemed perfectly happy to give one back as she held me tightly.

"Basil...can you calm down for a moment?" She said as I let go of her, taking a couple of steps back, looking at her curiously. It was still hard to believe that was really her after the turmoil I've endured for the last couple of weeks, not to mention how she looked nothing like the Melinda I knew, for obvious reasons.

"See this behind me? The full moon, with me standing right in front of it, and dramatically announcing the lyrical phrase to let you know who I was? Seriously badass, right?" She said, grinning down at me while posing dramatically in front of the moon. Strangely enough, she didn't seem to treat this as being a big deal, which seemed really odd to me.

"Yeah...yeah it was, wasn't it." I replied, my eyes still watering slightly before I saw her arms slump slightly.

"Right, now that the whole 'I'm so cool' thing is over with..." She said before suddenly looking way more emotional, and rushed at me swiftly, picking me up in a tight hug. "Oh god Basil! I had no idea you were here! When I got your note, I thought they were going to kill you, so I can as fast as I could even though the Expedition Club members tried to stop me since they thought I wasn't strong enough, so I bashed Layla in the face when she tried to stop me and ran as fast as I could to try and save you and..." She kept on spewing the series of words in one, never-ending sentence while she too cried softly.

"Hey, Mel'...it's a pretty scary place this, isn't it, but as long as we're together...I think we'll be ok. What do you think?" I said, my voice still shaking slightly. It took us quite a while to calm down, and it wasn't until Charlie tapped me on the shoulder that I realised just how long our tearful reunion was.

"I think so too Basil. Oh, Charlie!" She said, jogging up by his side. "Basil's staying by the way, and I'm not taking no for an answer." She said firmly, but it didn't look like he needed any convincing.

"Of course, Melinda. Any human is welcome here." He said as I joined them as we started walking back 'home'. I noticed that Charlie didn't smell of drink nearly as much this time, and he seemed to be almost completely sober right now. How pleasant!

"So...how's life been for you here? Pretty exciting eh? Well, aside from the whole Pale Communion people of course. They ruin this pretty fascinating trip, ahem, to say the least." Melinda said, her voice going from cheery, to rather ominous when she mentioned that horrible cult.

"It's, uh, interesting, but I think I definitely want to go home now." I said, chuckling slightly.

"Have you been to any other continent on this world yet? I think I want to see them all before going home. Make this whole thing a world tour." Melinda asked me, sounding considerably more relaxed about this sort of thing. How typical of her. I swear, if it weren't for me, she'd have dived head first into a series of bad life decisions. As much as I loved my sister, her impulsive nature often got the better of her, almost to the point that I wondered whether I was truly the younger sibling or not.

"This world is so damn dangerous though! One wrong move and bam! Dead! I went through two weeks of this to find you, and if you do something daft that gets you killed, I'll kill you!" I said loudly, grinning slightly at my intentional gaff.

"Hahaha, calm down Basil; I promise I won't do anything stupid. With you breathing down my neck, I'll never get the chance!" Melinda said as we laughed together. "Seriously though, we should really take the time to explore this world during downtime. This is an experience that almost no one gets to have. I mean, how many people can say that they've been turned into a pokemon?"

"Yeah but...I don't really like it very much if I'm being honest. Oh, sorry." I said, realising that Nisbeth and Charlie probably overheard me.

"No offence taken. While I'd love to explore the human world one day, as impossible as it'd be, I'd like it to be on my terms." Charlie said.

"Well, Basil hardly had the best introduction to this way of life." Nisbeth said, laughing slightly. "Had to save his life from a feral swampert."

"Wait, you've already met Basil?!" Melinda said, sounding very surprised.

"I was the first one he met. He stayed with me for just over a week." Nisbeth responded.

"Could have told me you know!" She said haughtily. "I thought saying my name was 'Melinda' might have prompted that comment earlier!"

"Hey, when I first saw you, you were fighting as if you had been doing it for years! How was I supposed to think you used to be human?! Well, if it makes you feel any better, you've been doing a far better job there than Basil. Besides, it's policy to stay quiet about human stuff in case people start attracting the Pale Communion. Oh, and a 'thank you for saving my brother's life' statement would be nice." Nisbeth explained as Melinda calmed down.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper there. Thank you, sincerely. I'm assuming that Basil went out of his way to make it up to you for this since the two of you seem like friends." She asked as Nisbeth nodded.

"He talked me into going through with this, and also managed to get Jirachi to put in a good word for me. If it weren't for him, I'd be back in my shack in Serenity. Glad I came here in hindsight." He said.

"Well, good to see he was never truly alone while he was here. Oh, Charlie, is there anything for me to do tomorrow?" She asked as Charlie shook her head.

"We've hit kind of a dead end for now, so just have some fun or something. Don't leave the grounds though, we can't have you or Basil getting another run-in with the Pale Communion, especially now that they know who you are." Charlie said while Melinda scoffed.

"Ugh, you're not my dad! Hahaha, just kidding. We'll stay safe, we promise." She said, while Charlie remained oddly serious.

"I'm serious; we can't afford to have you running off and getting yourself killed. We need you, and possibly Basil too." He said firmly before turning back to talk to Audrey, who seemed a little happier.

"Ugh, Charlie's acting like Nisbeth now! The horror!" I said, chuckling as we approached the grand clubhouse.

"Oh no! Someone wants you not to die for no good reason! I can't think of a worse fate!" Nisbeth said, chiming in. "Besides, you've found Melinda now, so can you please just stay safe for once?"

"For now. I'll be discussing what Melinda and I want to do next quite soon, but for most of the next day...I think I just want to relax and catch up with what's been happening with her." I said, smiling warmly at her, and I could tell she was thinking the same thing. "We do have a day off after all."

"I think I'd like that too Basil. Not had much of a chance to see the town from being all cooped up in there." She said as we entered the building as we were guided to our rooms. Seems like we were going to that secret high-ranking members only part, which both excited and confused me in equal measures.

"We made the room nice for y'all. We figured locking you in here would prevent any assassinations...sorry if that made you feel uncomfortable. This is a very well secured buildings, but we can't take any chances." Audrey said, leading us down stairs, and in spite of being the basement, it looked like the best maintained place. "Anyway, so glad you ended up with us after all Basil."

"You're awful keen on having me join you know." I said, looking at her as I picked out the smaller of the two beds. "And this was before you knew I was a human."

"Well, I don't like it when I see people not living up to their potential." She responded as I began to understand her.

"I feel the same way. Still, I think I'm better in more...human ways." I said back to her as she nodded.

"Part of the reason why we need people like you. Well, goodnight you two." She said, shutting us in our luxurious basement. Shame there wasn't any good vodka around here to drink.

"...Not gonna lie Basil, I feel like a bit of a slave here." Melinda said, suddenly sounding rather bitter. "I mean, I get why they're doing this to us but...you know, as you'd say, they'd get a lot better use out of us if they let us do our own thing."

"So, we're trapped here then?! I...I wondered why I even bothered badgering Nisbeth into joining these people..." I said, responding in an equally disgusted tone.

"Well, I don't blame them for it per se, but...well, you know why we were taken here, right? Wait...no, I said I wouldn't discuss it until we had some fun together. I don't want us to worry about it for at least a day." She replied, looking rather preoccupied until she smiled back at me. "I'm just so happy to see you again Basil."

"Trust me, ever since finding out the Pale Communion, it's been hard for me to do anything else but wonder how you were doing." I said, walking up to her. "I've not slept well, wondering if you were still alive or not, thinking that one way or another, you were ratted out by those bastards."

"Well, it's one thing the Excursion Club does well. They've helped me get to grips with combat, and I think I'm doing a pretty stellar job so far. How have you been doing?" She asked me as I blushed slightly.

"Uh...really badly...hence why I invented this!" I responded, lifting the stick outside of my bag. "This, right here, is the weapon! It has saved my life so many times and has brought death to many Pale Communion members!"

"Well, I am impressed! I always figured you'd be the sort of person to find such strange and wonderful solutions to problems such as them! However, how well do you fight as a pokemon? You're a meowstic, so I think you'd make great use of their abilities if you got to grips with them!" She said, lying down on her bed a couple of meters away from mine.

"...Uh...really badly. I know just enough to fire the weapon, and..." I said before I met Melinda's disapproving eyes.

"...And you expect that'll be enough? Look, I get that this might be a little tricky to get the hang of, but...well, you need trained! I wonder who could do that? I bet you'd need a truly great trainer to be able to teach someone like you to fight and unleash their potential! Hrm...I wonder who that could be? Why, I bet you'd need one of the best in the entire country!" She said as I rolled my eyes, knowing where she was heading with this.

"...You can't be serious! I should be the one who does the training! This is degrading!" I complained and protested against this, feeling like I was going to be degraded to the level of a savage pokemon.

"Such a shame...there's a lot of pokemon who'd die for the chance to get trained by me back in our world you know. Anyway, you're not getting a choice Basil. I'd be a terrible if I left you so unprepared to deal with the world after all." She said as I continued to argue.

"But I have the weapon! You think I'm unprepared? Go ask that nintetails and excadrill...oh wait, you can't; I killed them." I said as she shook her head.

"It's like you said during your short career as a trainer: Learn lots of techniques so you're prepared for anything. Suppose, for whatever reason, you don't have the weapon, or you're disarmed somehow – what would you do then?" She responded as I gave in and sighed.

"I guess you're right Mel'. If we've got nothing better to do, then I suppose we'd better start tomorrow." I said as I pulled the covers over me.

"By the way, you used these notices with some Rush lyrics. Quite clever but...how did they manage to drive you outside of town? From what I heard, they tend not to attack humans in public." She asked as I found myself being very embarrassed.

"Uh...someone did a very good English accent and insisted that we had to stay low and out of the way...not going to lie, it was really stupid of me. Guess I was just that desperate to see you again." I said slowly and somewhat unsteadily.

"Hrm...I'll remember to bring that up if you ever think I'm stupid." She said, laughing merrily. "Seriously though, I'm just so glad to finally have someone I know here well with me. It's been the best day of my life since coming to this world by far, aside from the scare when I figured out that the Pale Communion were onto you. I really don't want to have to go through that again."

"Me too Mel'. Well, goodnight." I said as I fell asleep quickly. While exhaustion made sleep easy to achieve, it was a rather turbulent one, as I felt slightly queasy during the night. Must have been from all the teleporting, since I heard it can make pokemon feel rather sick if they do it too often or over great distances. Still, a very minor price to pay to stay alive and find my sister.

Melinda woke me up the next morning, announcing it was time for a group breakfast. There were a lot of eggs and bacon going around, which I happily munched up, given all the running around last night left me starved. Looking around, I saw there were about fifteen of us in total, and from the way they were speaking and sitting, Jirachi and Audrey seemed to be Charlie's right and left hand pokemon in this club.

"So, have I essentially been strong-armed into this thing then?" I asked Melinda quietly as she nodded as she finished eating the bacon in her mouth.

"Preeeety much. Still, they said they'd help us soon, but I'm getting a little impatient. I'll go ask Charlie about it if you could book us a sparring slot. Maybe Nisbeth could join us if he's not busy." She said, gesturing to the toxicroak sitting to the left of me.

"Sorry, helping Layla with completing a couple of maps for most of the day. I can see you two in the late afternoon if you want." Nisbeth said, finishing off his meal.

"Should be fun. Anyway, Murphy's at that really cheap theatre. Can't remember it's name; you know the one I'm talking about, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, want me to get him too?" He said as I nodded.

"We're kind of trapped in here, so that'd be great of you." I responded. I still wasn't entirely sure how to feel about this, but I guess we weren't in any real danger of dying here. I was wondering how Melinda really felt about this though, since I thought she'd be hating this prison of safety.

"Well...I'll go ask Charlie about seeing if we absolutely have to stay here all the time." She said, even if I wasn't as enthusiastic about it. Still, she seemed alarmingly tough for someone who's only had that body for about a couple of weeks, so I'd feel safe enough with her as long as we didn't do anything stupid. "Go book us in for some sparring, would you?"

"Melinda, you know I'd never want to hurt you, right? I'm really hoping you'd feel the same way! I really don't want to do this." I said as she rolled her eyes.

"Well, that's kind of your first problem: You're not thinking enough like a pokemon." She said, tapping my ears. "I'll help you with that, don't worry. Anyway, go book us in and I'll be with you shortly."

"...Only for you, Melinda." I said, walking off and wrote our names in one of the empty slots. I briskly walked outside and sat on the bench, overlooking our combat field. It was just a patch of grass, which probably went a long way to redefining the word 'ordinary.' While I was really happy about seeing Melinda again, I was really hoping we could just have a happy day wandering around town, enjoying the local culture and doing whatever we wanted rather than have to throw our pokemon abilities, or lack thereof in my case, at each other. Still, I trusted her, and if I could learn of how she came to grips with her new body so quickly, then maybe it'd be for the best.

"Hey Basil; ready to get trained by a top level professional?" She said, pulling me to my feet, looking far more cheerful than I was.

"What did Charlie say about us being able to wander around town?" I asked, wanting to get to the real news quickly.

"Oh, he said we were allowed! Been some great news regarding the Pale Communion! The police found their Newer Orleans base and found a list of members across the entire continent! They're being ratted out and arrested as we speak! Now that they know who they are, they're pretty much finished here!" She said, smiling at me.

"YES!" I yelled loudly. "Those bastards finally got what was coming to them!" I felt so much better, like my struggles of survival against them had been vindicated even more now. I felt a little giddy, knowing that, while it was very stupid of me to follow them out of town, it was all worthwhile in the end. Just the icing on the cake, of course, now that I was with Melinda again.

"Say, since we can go into town now, can we ditch this practice?" I asked as she laughed.

"Not a chance Basil! You'll thank me eventually if we end up in a tight spot, and given that this world is a lot more dangerous than the one back home, it's just sensible to make sure you're prepared. Or, would you rather just wing it and hope for the best? That'd be very unlike you." She said, lighting both ends of her bone with that strange turquoise flame.

"Trust me, I've had to do it so many times to get here." I said, looking at the weapon in my hands.

"We'll be practising without that stick of yours. Yes, I can tell you're very proud of it, but just think how tough you'll be when you can master both that and your regular abilities!" She said as I sighed.

"Fine...let's just get this over with then. Just bear in mind that I suck at the basics. All the pokemon you trained were at least component when you first worked with them. Me? Not so much." I said, sluggishly dragging my feet until I was on the field.

"Well, I suppose I should assess how much of a novice you really are. This sandbag, right here..." She said, pulling one to the side. "Might as well see you at your best. Give this thing your most powerful attack and don't hold anything back."

"Uh..." I droned, staring at the sack, wondering what to do.

"Don't be shy, just give it your best shot. Try not to be too self conscience, though knowing you, that could be a little tricky..." She said, trying to encourage me. Problem is, I think she was underestimating just how useless I was without the weapon. "...Any time now, Basil."

"Ok! Fine! I'll give it my best fucking shot then!" I said loudly in frustration, forcing my ears up and overloaded myself as soon as I got within touching place of the sandbag, the force of the explosion throwing me a few feet in the air before I landed on the ground.

"...What." Melinda said as she helped me up. "I think that hurt you more than it did the bag."

"Duh, bags can't feel pain." I said, giving a nervous chuckle.

"Is...is that literally it?" Melinda asked as I solemnly nodded. "Now you see why I _need_ the weapon.

"Uh...no offence, but I've seen espurrs who are two years old that have better mastery over their psychic abilities. I honestly had no idea you were that...bad." She said, looking rather down and lost about what to do.

"What did you expect? Those espurrs have been espurrs for two years, as you said. I've only been a meowstic for two _weeks_ , so of course they'd be better! Actually, here's the real mystery: You've been in this world for only one day more than me, and you were hopping around that battle, summoning those strange fireballs, and crushing those Pale Communion members as if it was nothing! You could give Nisbeth a run for his money in a fight from the looks of things! How the fuck did it come to you so quickly?!" I said, not being shy to show her my frustration. "You told me to think like a pokemon, but I've no idea how! All I know is how to be a human!"

"Honestly...it just came kind of easily for me. To be fair, I had the people here help me out over the past couple of weeks, but...I'm very sorry Basil, but I can't see where I'd even begin with you. I mean, if you were a wild pokemon, to be blunt, you'd have been dead long ago." She said and sighed miserably. "I wish I could have helped you so badly. Only way I can think I could help you is if Jirachi helped you get to grips with the absolute basics, because from what I saw, there was no real skill in that 'attack.' You just kind of overloaded yourself with psionic energy, didn't you."

"Yup. Aside from that, I can move tiny objects with my mind slightly, but that's it. Still, it helped save me before, so it's not totally useless." I said, shrugging, though it seemed to cheer her up a bit.

"Please Basil, try to get Jirachi to help you at some point. I know he's very lazy, but if he's taken an interest in you, then you could probably convince him." Melinda replied.

"Right, can we just go have some fun in town now?" I asked, wanting to get this somewhat depressing incident over with.

"Well, since I can't seem to help you right now, then yes." Melinda said, clearly wanting to put this incident behind us. "Again, really sorry Basil, but I've never worked with pokemon who don't even have the slightest grasp of the basics of their abilities, so I'm at a bit of a loss for now. I promise I'll be thinking about a way I can still help you for the rest of the day."

"Melinda, you're going to forget about that for the time being. We are also going to forget about any future plans, because for now, we're just going to enjoy ourselves. This could be our last chance to do so for all we know, so I don't want to ruin it by worrying about shit that can wait until later." I said, leading her out of the club grounds. While she looked a little preoccupied with the whole failed training incident, she looked happy enough to finally leave this place and explore town. She seemed rather in awe of all of the surrounding architecture, the balconies shading us from the sun beating down on Newer Orleans.

"So, how's life been for you here?" I asked, hoping she had a better time here than I did.

"Well, it's been rather restrictive if I'm to be honest. I just woke up in this body and wandered around for a while. Naturally, I was very confused, but I bumped into Charlie, well, he bumped into me. Physically and literally. I told him I was human and ushered me into the Excursion Club and pretty much locked me in there. Still, he's given me stuff to do, and doesn't make me do any of it. Been hard at work training so that I'm ready to take this dangerous sounding world head on, though I suppose you'd know more about it than me." She told me as I started leading her towards the docks. I knew she'd appreciate some fish and chips, since the food at the Excursion Club felt pretty bland.

"Honestly, I'd rather have that than all the shit I went through to get here. Woke up in a swamp, which as you'd probably guess, terrifies me enough as it is and wham! A swampert tries to eat me alive. Be nice to Nisbeth, because he saved my life. Other than that, I've been working on getting my adulthood recognized by the people here, which I achieved thanks to the weapon. Aside from that, I've been dodging and hiding from those bastards that tried to kill me last night. It's been hectic to say the least, but I've got a feeling that you'd find that exciting." I said as she shook her head.

"Well...maybe a little, but I'm not that into danger." She said, chuckling slightly as we arrived at the docks. "Well, isn't this picturesque."

"It gets better." I said, pointing to the chip shop. There were two by the docks, and I was hoping this one wouldn't drown their food in salt.

"Ooh, it's been way too long since I've had some of this!" Melinda said, smiling and rubbing her hands together with glee. She ran over quickly as I followed her as we both bought some fish and chips and sat down on the small wall together. Seems like the nostalgic feel I had last afternoon here was now complete. If I closed my eyes, I could almost believe I was in Scarborough, back where some of the cosiest memories of my life were made. Just sitting down on a small wall at the harbour, munching away on some delicious fish and chips and spending a good hour or two chatting and laughing along with my sister. If I looked at her and squinted my eyes, I could almost see her as a human, just like in the old days.

"Ooh, I can't wait to go back home. This stuff's ok, but I'm really missing The Sea Catcher back in York. When we get back, I'll treat you to some. Looking forward to going back?" I asked as she shrugged slightly.

"I guess so..." She said, looking a little distracted by something.

"Guess you're wanting to see more of this world before going home. Still, this isn't exactly a holiday, and as fascinating as it is, I _really_ don't want to die here." I said, giving a slightly uncomfortable laugh.

"...Oh, look. There's a museum just down the road according to the sign." Melinda said, pointing to it. "Have you been there yet?"

"Nope, but I want to go right now! Seems like a safer way to get to know this place." I said, wiping my hands on the wall to get the worst of the grease out of them before throwing the wrappings in the nearby bin. Walking there, we saw the museum in front of us, looking a fair bit bigger than either of us expected for a town of this size, but then again, it was probably the only one on the entire continent, so it made sense.

Paying our way in, we saw that it was rather quiet, with a couple of solitary people wandering around and examining the exhibits and a family in the corner, speaking quietly to one another. Looking at the panels in front of me, I saw many old and battered looking tools that were said to have belonged to the Broussard family themselves. Moving along slightly, I saw a few trinkets with the fleur-de-lis symbol on them, alongside many wild and inane descriptions of what the symbol could represent. Needless to say, with the butchering of Hamlet and theorizing that the symbol was representing Bonnie Broussard, I was beginning to notice an amusing pattern.

"Hrm, seems like they're considering making this the flag of State Broussard, though they don't seem to know what flags are for." Melinda said quietly to me, pointing to a plain blue flag with the fleur-de-lis on it. Looked functional at least, but it clearly wasn't an artifact: That would be the Louisiana flag right next to it, looking old, but in surprisingly good condition. To think I probably had more in common with these relics than just about everything else in this world, given we have far more similar origins. They said they had no plans to adopt that flag as their own since it would, in their eyes, somehow promote pelipper supremacy. This world really was kind of cute.

"So, you two tourists from Conviction?" I heard someone speak in a very thick southern accent. I turned round to see a rather creepy looking eelektross, but that description was kind of redundant in hindsight. If I wasn't startled, I might have even said that he looked friendly, since the pokemon was clearly trying, but, well, it'd take a miracle to look approachable when it looks like that!

"Yes." I said simply.

"Heh, bet you two wish you could stay here on the greatest place in the world. It's too bad." He said, giving a low chuckle as he waddled away.

"So, it seems like they already have nationalists here." Melinda said, laughing slightly before we turned our heads to look at a sign pointing to an ancient history exhibit. How odd, since from what I learned, all the civilizations here were very young, only being two or three hundred years at the most. Could it be things from an older civilization? I heard the ones that founded Conviction were older, so maybe there'd be some artifacts from there.

"This sure is ancient, even by our local standards..." Melinda muttered quietly to me as we found ourselves surrounded by urns, busts and murals that looked like they must have been at least two-thousand years old. Inspecting an urn closely, the handiwork depicted some kind of entity that resembled a giant, majestic deer of some kind. It was covered in many shades of bronze, and while it looked somewhat shoddy, it seemed authentic as it could be. I looked down at the description, to see where such an ancient looking artifact could have came from. According to the text, written by Audrey herself no less, it was found, along with everything else in this room, in a huge undersea cavern. It was sheltered from the water since the only way in is through a huge tunnel that leads all the way to the surface.

"Basil...this is ancient Greek right here! Look at the alphabet! There's theta, phi and omega!" She said, pointing to the carved text in one of the murals. "I think we both know what this means: Seems like humans bringing civilization to this planet isn't that recent a phenomenon after all."

"I guess Audrey would really want to hear this." I said, slowly walking around. Now, if I could read ancient Greek, then I'd already be a bit of a superstar in archaeology in this world! To think: I'd instantly displace that mawile just as soon as I arrived! It was an amusing thought, but my interests were soon captured by a bust of a human head. Guess this might have been one of the humans that came here in ancient times, or one of them at least. Its plain, pupilless eyes stared back at me as I inspected it closely, almost making me a little nervous. The hair curls looked rather expertly carved, its hair descending down to gently touch the back of its neck. There was a clear attempt to make this person look as dignified as possible, so I'm guessing he must have been revered by the population at the time. Looking down at the text panel just beneath it, I saw what Audrey thought of it.

" _Not much is known about this human, but as far as we can tell, he is held in great reverence among this mysterious civilization, due to the way he is depicted on the murals. He may have been a leader or a legendary fighter of some kind, but we can only extrapolate theories from the limited information. Until we learn how to decipher their language in better detail, we cannot learn much more. However, I believe I may have been able to translate his name. 'Tarkus.'"_ I read as I looked up at the murals behind the bust.

The first one I saw instilled a strange sense of dread within me. Seemed like it was what the artist was going for as I saw a whole bunch of fierce looking pokemon at the bottom of the mural, all staring at the would-be viewer. They had a slightly animalistic vibe, yet it didn't seem like they were savage at all, driven by some higher goal that I couldn't understand. Above them was a wicked looking, of all species, snivy, staring in the same direction as those fierce looking pokemon with an expression of mad, sadistic glee. It seemed to hover in the air, but what was most noticeable about it was a pair of dreadful looking dull-red antlers growing out of its head that made him look almost twice as large. I couldn't tell what the black stuff emanating from him was, but it looked very unnatural.

" _It is theorized that this mural depicts an enemy army, state or country or anything that is hated in this community. I can only imagine that they exaggerated the effects on this painting to make them look as nasty as possible. I also can't help but wonder how a snivy of all pokemon became a leader. His or her name may be on some of these ancient texts, though figuring out what they say is taking me a very long time. I will get to the bottom of this mystery eventually, however."_ I read. Seems like Audrey was hard at work here. I have to credit the artist for making that snivy look despicable though, since, even though it was rather simple, there was something about him that just rubbed me the wrong way.

There was only one other picture, and it was of a human holding a large spear in both his hands with strange white streams emanating from it. It was hard to make out any details on this mural since it was pretty basic, but I assumed that this must have been Tarkus, as he was clad in ancient looking bronze armour and a helmet with a large plumed crest on it. Behind him, that same giant, majestic deer-like creature on the urn was looking down to him. It was hard to tell whether this ancient Greek culture revered or feared this strange entity or not. The other noticeable detail was a fairly small pink thing hovering just to the right of the human. It seemed vaguely human shape, but it was only about a third of the size of Tarkus. It had a very long but thin tail and a rather large head. It looked friendly enough at least. Looking at the panel beneath it, it seemed like Audrey couldn't figure out who the other two were, but insisted that she was working on it.

"I'm starting to regret laughing people at university who studied Ancient Greek..." I chuckled to Melinda.

"Well, it doesn't seem like there are any Greek-inspired civilizations here, so I think the archaeologists will be at this for a long time." Melinda said, still looking around. "Says over here that the best theory they have is that the entire continent that they lived on sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Doesn't sound possible, but in this world, I'm still not sure what could be considered impossible."

"Well, I think we've seen pretty much everything here. The town's not that small, so do you want to continue wandering around?" I asked as she nodded and led me out of the museum. We passed through a market square, but we decided to be frugal since neither of us knew when we'd suddenly need a lot of money in this world. It was rather tricky with the enthusiastic sales-people and all these weird foreign stuff they had. Would be pretty great bringing some alien trinkets home with me to remember this wild adventure by.

"By the way Basil, I have a bit of a confession to make." She said, suddenly looking seriously as we wandered onto a slightly quieter road. Closing her eyes in inhaling softly, she finally spoke after leaving me in suspense. "...Rush isn't my favourite band."

"WHAT?! How dare you!" I said, pretending to be horrified, playing along with the hilariously-forced dramatics of the situation.

"Haha, it's Yes." She said as I shook my eyes, a wide grin cracking on my face as I tried not to laugh.

"Ah, you know why we're both unfairly biased towards them. Anyway, speaking of being overly-dramatic, this street we're about to enter has a lot of theatres. This is where Murphy, the other friend I met here, ended up." I said as we walked by a couple of theatres. "He ended up in this crappy looking one. I helped him out in his audition. They were doing...'Hamlet'" I said, gesturing the quotation marks with my hands.

"So, it's Hamlet but really bad?" She asked as I nodded.

"Murphy seemed to think it was fine, and he threw everything into the practice regardless. I mean, he's not good enough to make the play work, but I don't think _anyone_ could make it good. It's that bad." I said as she looked at a couple of posters.

"Seems like they're putting it on tonight." She said as I looked at the poster.

"So how the fuck is Murphy supposed to perform after only a day of studying the script? No wonder they suck! Damn, I hope he gets to a better place soon!" I said, shaking my head in disgust.

"We should go see it regardless. If anything, it'd be funny to watch them fail." Melinda said, grinning slightly. "It'll be on in a couple of hours, then we can return to the Excursion Club."

"Well, it'd make Murphy happy to see me in the audience. He's a really friendly guy, you'll get along well with him, even if he is a bit juvenile. He's only seventeen after all." I replied.

"Sounds good to me. Yes, I like all forms of Drama." She said as I tilted my head to the side.

"Was that a...oh, shut up Melinda! Y'know what? The last two weeks weren't all that bad since I didn't have to put up with your obscure and painful jokes!" I said, folding my arms and pouted at her while frowning. Of course, she gave me a bit of a noggie right afterwards, as she usually did after I predictably complained at her jokes.

"Oh come on, _that_ one was good! Besides, now that you're here, I can finally share these sort of jokes with you. Doubt anyone else here would get them, possibly not even the 'outsiders.'" She said, as we got a bite to eat to pass the time. Not long after, it was time for the show. We paid for our rather overpriced tickets and, since I was rather small now, we sat in the second row from the front. I was amazed they even padded these seats, given the stalls were almost as dirty as the entrance hall.

"Cheap bastards ought to hire a cleaner..." I muttered as I heard a familiar voice from behind me.

"You two enjoy theatre too?" She asked as I turned around to see Audrey. "I'm guessing you're used so something a bit more lavish then, given you two are from New Australia." She winked at us, as I gave her a thumbs up. Even if there were no Pale Communion members, it was good to avoid drawing unneeded suspicion.

"Yeah, I suppose, but I think I'd be missing out on what Newer Orleans has to offer if I didn't see at least one play." Melinda replied, doing a very convincing Australian accent.

"I usually come here in my spare time. I love Hamlet! This is my tenth time seeing it! I heard someone new is playing him this time." She said as Melinda and I looked at each other.

"Well..." We said as we tried not to laugh, leaving Audrey looking a little confused. As for the play itself, it was as disastrous as I expected, not that the others seemed to notice. With the way this thirty-minute spliced shit-show played out, I was amazed that not a single local seemed to notice or care. I couldn't even tell whether Murphy was playing as Horatio or Hamlet, but regardless, he was putting all his effort into it as much as possible. I couldn't tell whether he was getting his words wrong or not since the entire script was a complete mess, but he was still clearly the star of the show, throwing all the right emotions into every line. He occasionally lapped into overrating, but for someone so new, this was impressive, even by human standards. He couldn't survive such a terrible script, but to be fair, I think even the best human actors would struggle with that. Melinda and I were laughing throughout the entire thing, getting a few strange looks from the other audience members. After the bow, everyone applauded and after people started leaving, Murphy bounced down from the stage to greet me.

"Basil! You came and saw me! Was I good? Please say I was good!" He said, bouncing up and down, clearly having a lot of lingering adrenaline in his body.

"You alone made that bearable." I said in a low voice. "Seriously, great job! Hopefully you'll go to better places in no time, because, by my standards, the play was utterly shit. They're holding you back, trust me."

"Everyone else seemed to love it though. Well, everyone aside from you and that marowak. I guess you're used to much better plays then." He said as I stood aside.

"'That marowak', by the way, is Melinda! I found her!" I said happily as he took a couple of swift steps forward to shook her hand.

"Basil told me so much about you! I can't believe you actually found each other! It's incredible!" He said, shaking her hand rapidly.

"I know, right? Can't believe we bumped into each other in Newer Orleans." She said, looking happy to meet one of my new friends.

"Hah! I knew I was right! Take that Nisbeth!" He said, chuckling as Melinda tilted her head to the side slightly.

"What did Nisbeth do? He's one of my colleagues you know." She said, her voice lowering a bit.

"He was like 'ooh, it's too dangerous! Basil, you need to stay where it's safe!' But if Basil did that, he'd have never found you!" He said, feeling vindicated for supporting my risky plan.

"Well, I wouldn't get too angry at him. He still seemed like he wanted the best for Basil; just in his own way. Thank you so much for staying with him though. He'd have been so lost if it weren't for people like you and Nisbeth." She said politely as Audrey spoke up.

"Murphy, mind if I have a quick word with you?" She said, leaving Murphy a little confused. "Don't worry, it's fine if the other two hear."

"Well, sure, I guess." Murphy said, looking a little confused.

"Well, from what I know of these theatres, this is the dingiest and worst of the bunch. Basil here wasn't impressed with anything here aside from your acting, and from what I've seen, you're way beyond this place." She said as Murphy smiled shyly.

"Well, thank you! I'm honoured to hear that, but I don't mind it here." He said as Audrey spoke in a slightly lower, but serious voice to get his full attention.

"I'm from the Excursion Club and we have a _lot_ of contacts from all over the world. You may not mind this place, but what if I told you that I could get you into a much getter theatre. Seriously, you'll probably catch a disease if you stayed here for too long. Better pay too." She said as Murphy suddenly looked more interested.

"Sure!" He said happily.

"I'll get you into a theatre that'll even impress these two right here!" Audrey said, grinning, and gesturing towards us.

"What are you wanting in return?" Murphy asked, clearly figuring she wouldn't do it for free.

"Well...could the Excursion Club get favour from you some point down the line? Don't worry, we won't ask for something that'll be too out of the way for you." She said as Murphy seemed to like the idea.

"Well, I was always pretty good at fighting if you need me to go rescue someone or anything like that." He said proudly, hiding an obvious grin inside his closed mouth.

"You seem like a very talented individual regardless. I'll go look into seeing if I can get you somewhere good tomorrow. Where do you stay by the way? I'll send someone to come find you or just come myself if I find somewhere who'll hire you." She said as Murphy looked a little sheepish.

"Uh, just staying at one of the hostels." He said as Audrey looked like she was thinking about something.

"I'm sure you could stay at the club headquarters for a few days until you find a more permanent place to stay. If you're low on money, I'll let you make up for it by calling in another favour. I won't pressure you into hurrying it of course, so there's no pressure." She said as Murphy looked more than happy to have the opportunity to stay somewhere a bit nicer for the time being.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" He said, grinning and bouncing slightly on the spot. Well, seems like things really were working out for the best. All things considered, if Melinda and I were forced to live here for the rest of our lives...well, there are certainly worse fates out there, and, at least for the time being, I'd have my two local friends close by. They could rely on me even more than I could rely on them, and I was actually kind of happy that way. Still, I miss my own world, and even though I was content for now, I was wondering how long that would last. There was still the business of dealing with The Guardian of Forever too, an issue that would not die so easily.

After arriving back 'home', all of the members, including Murphy, were greeted with a rather tasty evening meal. Charlie briefly called over Melinda after she finished her dinner and said a few words to her, though I couldn't make out what they were talking about. After finishing my own, I followed her back to our room, rubbing a bit of gravy off my mouth. She seemed to slump slightly as she walked, opening the door and sitting down on her bed, sighing somewhat sadly.

"...I...I think it's about time we talk about what we're going to do now." I said, wondering what was said to her.

"Responsibilities have a way of catching up to you..." She muttered as I walked over and sat down beside her.

"Indeed. Look, Mel', I've had a really nice day, but you know that not every day can be like this. We can't stay here. We need to figure out what to do next, although, I've been thinking about that almost as much as I have been thinking about finding you. Listen, here's what we're going to do. The Guardian of Forever summoned us here to this world against our will along with a whole bunch of our kind, and from what I've heard, the Pale Communion has already gotten to some of them. This bastard has indirectly been murdering our fellow humans! We need to find him, beat him to within an inch of his life, and force him to send all the humans back home." I said sternly, frowning slightly at Melinda. I didn't have the heart to tell her what happened to Danil. Some things were truly best left unsaid. "See how close I was to dying Melinda? If he didn't pull me into this hostile, dangerous world, that never would have happened! He almost got me killed!"

"Basil...we can't." She said, shaking her head as my jaw dropped.

"But...why?!" I said, shouting slightly.

"Basil, did The Guardian of Forever tell you why he summoned you?" She asked as I shook my head.

"No, and I really don't care. Whatever he wants with us, it's no business of mine." I said gruffly as I folded my arms.

"So, he didn't spend time telling you...he must be getting desperate." She said, sighing and lighting one of the lanterns in the room with her own fire.

"Wait, on the note...didn't it say something about fixing some kind of problem? He actually spoke to you, didn't he?" I asked as Melinda turned round to look at me after making sure the lantern was safely lit.

"Indeed. As thoughtless as it is to summon us and the others here without our permission, he does have a very good reason to. He needs us to defend this planet, and, supposedly, he believes that humans are the most qualified saviours." She said as I coughed slightly in disgust.

"I assume he hasn't seen how borderline useless I've been here! The fucking idiot! Did he say anything more specific!? What's happening to this planet!? Why are humans needed?!" I said loudly, my voice filling the entire room.

"He needs us for one reason and one reason only." She said, trying to calm me down.

"And what's that?!" I retorted, interrupting her.

"To defeat The Devourer."


	15. Drama

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 15: Drama

"The Devourer?! Who's that?! What's that?!" I spluttered.

"I'm not exactly sure, but it's threatening everything on this world." She said, and while I still didn't know what we were up against, I already decided I wanted no part in this.

"Melinda, do you see a 'slight' problem with this?! We are on this planet! What if this devourer thing finds us?! If The Guardian of Forever is strong enough to rip us from our homes and bring us to Arceus knows where but isn't tough enough to kill The Devourer, then what chance do we have?! I see a losing battle when I see one! Let's just cut our losses and get the fuck out of here!" I said, staring at Melinda.

"...And how do you propose we do that?" She said, folding her arms, giving me that same look she did as a human, letting me know she wasn't on board with my ideas and plans.

"Well...uh, we find The Guardian of Forever and make him return us to our homes, along with everyone else he took here." I said as Melinda drummed her fingers on her arm.

"You know that you're far from tough as a pokemon. Do you really think that we even have a chance of beating him in a fight? I doubt asking him will work either. As nasty as it was to abduct us like this, I don't think we have much of a choice but to go along with it. Besides, the people here need us." She said, as I started breathing through clenched teeth.

"Well that's just too bad then! Besides, it seemed like we agreed on something: We don't stand a chance against The Devourer. This is suicide Melinda, and I have no intention of letting _either_ of us die on this planet!" I said as my sister continued to frown at me.

"Seems like you made two good friends here from what I've seen. Can you really abandon Nisbeth and Murphy like this?" She said as I took a couple of steps and broke eye contact with her.

"We…we'll take them with us. I'm not going to let them become one of this…thing's victims." I said, as I started to fear for their lives.

"And everyone else?" She asked as I looked into her eyes once more.

"Like I said earlier, 'that's just too bad.' If what you've said is true, then they're fucked. There's nothing we can do, so we might as well just try to get the people we know together and try to get home. If I can help a few people, then I'll be a hero to my friends."

"You wouldn't be a hero to me, Basil. Look, The Guardian of Forever surely would have had a good reason to summon humans here. If he just wanted muscle, he could have enlisted people like Charlie. Trust me, he's way tougher than he looks; I found out the hard way." Melinda said, trying to think of possible reasons.

"Wait a minute, Floyd said he knew something." I said as Melinda looked back at me.

"Which Floyd? You can't have spoken to this world's supposed hero. He's been dead for thirty-five years. Was it that guy in the scizor costume?" She said as I gave her a strange smile.

"Same guy apparently. He said that he was a friend of sorts, but couldn't really explain the nature of their friendship, and how he was a snivy in their world, and it seems like some people hold a snivy in really high regard, given the statues they build of him. They also look like normal statues unlike those strange obsidian black ones being dumped around. Anyway, that's about all I know."

"So that weirdo could be The Sound of Perseverance…well, it's something to tell the people here. Come Basil, I think we're due to have our meeting by now. I was supposed to just break the news to you about this, we've been here too long." She said, grabbing my arm, and dragging me along as I struggled to keep up.

"Hey, we're not in that much of a rush here, surely!" I said as I was lead into an office with Charlie, Audrey and Jirachi discussing things to each other in earnest, hushed tones.

"Well, Basil, I guess Melinda's told you what we're up against here." Charlie said, still smelling faintly of some kind of alcohol, but his voice carried the sharpness and precision of a sober man.

"In name only." I said as I cleared my throat. "So, what is this 'Devourer'?"

"We're not sure. We only got word from The Guardian of Forever about it, but whatever it is, it supposedly scared off The Watcher of The Skies, Rayquaza, from this planet entirely. If neither of those two can deal with The Devourer, we are indeed in serious trouble." Charlie said, flicking through his notes.

"…So he summons someone who's considerably weaker than the average pokemon and had to cheat on their adulthood exam." I said bitterly. "This guardian of yours has no idea what he's doing, does he."

"Well, I wouldn't call it cheating, rather, using a creative solution. See that weapon you have? It covers your weakness just fine, given how long you held out against the Pale Communion." He said, floating in the air. "Say, are humans great tool users?"

"Judging from your history, any tool usage you have was learned from our kind. Naturally, the stuff we can build is more advanced, but I'm impressed Basil here was able to make that out of a braixen wand." She said as I found myself smiling at her compliment.

"It's a baseless theory, but what if The Guardian of Forever wanted humans to build a really, really big weapon to blast The Devourer?" Jirachi said, looking at the weapon I was holding closely. In a way, the weapon almost became like a close friend to me, and I always felt that bit more comfortable holding it firmly in my hands.

"Well, that might involve a lot of braixens and delphoxes using a giant tree, peppering the entire thing with blasting powder to make a gigantic blast, but if Rayquaza is real, then surely he'd be better at brute forcing The Devourer to death, which, evidently he doesn't think he's capable of. However, if we don't know what The Devour looks like or what it's capable of, then what can we even do? Do we have anything at all on this thing?" I asked, but all I got were blank faces in return.

"Sorry, The Guardian of Forever insisted that he didn't use any more communication devices in case it reveals where his allies are, namely us. I can only assume he's busy keeping this thing at bay, or distracting it somehow." Audrey said.

"Well, that doesn't help too much now does it. Look, I really want to help you and your people, but if we know nothing about this thing, then we can't fight it. We probably wouldn't even recognize it when we see it for starters." Melinda said, trying to think of ways to keep the conversation flowing. "Aside from humans appearing, has there been anything strange happening? Think the Pale Communion is linked to this at all?"

"Pale Communion probably wouldn't give us any answers. All they do is just ramble on about how humans are going to cause great destruction and stuff. If we asked them about The Devourer, they'd probably believe that The Devourer is a human, or many humans at the same time, which is obviously complete nonsense." Audrey responded, putting an apple in the big mouth dangling behind her head.

"As for the 'strange thing', there's those strange black statues that are showing up in the most unlikely places. Who's building these? He or she could make a lot of money from selling them or hosting exhibitions." Charlie said, chuckling slightly briefly before his expression turned serious once more.

"I've seen a couple of them. One on a hill next to Serenity, and one just on the path between there and here. Don't suppose it's worth investigating them? They were freakishly heavy. Murphy, Nisbeth and I couldn't budge it whatsoever when we tried to move it." I said.

"I know my way around ancient busts and statues, I could go find and investigate one." Audrey replied. "I could go first thing in the morning, though I think someone should come with me, just in case something unwelcome shows up. Basil, you seem smart, you could help me."

"Leaving town? No way, I can't be sure we won't bump into some of those Pale Communion bastards, even if they are being rounded up. You're not asking Melinda either, and besides, neither of us have any archaeological knowledge." I said as Melinda glanced at me.

"I can decide that for myself." She said as I turned on the spot to look at her.

"I almost died at least three times trying to find you! I'm not losing you again! We can stay here and help somehow, surely!" I said, pleading with her as I bounced slightly on the spot, feeling a bit self-conscience at my small body

"The world's bigger than me Basil, but you're right; I probably wouldn't be much use in investigating the black statues, given I haven't even seen one yet." Melinda said, sighing slightly.

"Take Layla with you, and Nisbeth if he's not busy." Charlie said as Audrey nodded.

"Very well, though I do think that otherworldly people might have better insight into strange phenomena. If we don't find anything, can we get one of the humans to investigate with me?" Audrey asked.

"Indeed. I'll imagine we'll have the Pale Communion almost completely round up by this point. Remember, the safety of these humans is of very high priority. I'm sure The Guardian of Forever isn't stupid; he inspired us to set up the Excursion Club after all. They must have been summoned for a reason. There must be something about humans that we don't have." He said, rubbing his head.

"Might have been more useful to summon us in our own bodies rather than this. I'm not used to looking cute!" I said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Well, even if we're unlikely to get any good answers, you two can help me interrogate one of the Pale Communion members at the local jail tomorrow." Charlie offered. Excellent: Now I was the one who held power over one of these bastards.

"Certainly. I'll be sure to sleep well tonight." I said as Melinda piped up.

"Wait, Murphy could be useful. You said he could act real scary at times." She said as I nodded.

"Well, if he doesn't mind. He only wants to be an actor you know." I replied, thinking he probably wouldn't like doing that.

"If it makes any progress into finding out more about The Devourer, then It'll be worth it. What's the use in acting if everyone's dead? Sorry, that was rather blunt…" Melinda said, trailing off.

"I'm not going to pressure him into it." I said honestly.

"World needs saving Basil. Besides, you've talked them into so much, so you're clearly capable." She said as I frowned slightly.

"I thought you hated it when I try to get people to do as I want and all that manipulative stuff." I said.

"Yeah, but in all those other cases, we weren't facing a global catastrophe from a mysterious alien now were we." She said as I narrowed my eyes slightly.

"A catastrophe that had nothing to do with us and that would not have been a part of our lives until that unscrupulous arsehole yanked us here and forced the issue on…sorry." I said, realising the natives were still looking at us.

"I understand Basil. It must have been hard for you." Charlie said before standing up. "Well, I think we should all get a good night's sleep. There's a lot of work to do tomorrow. For now, keep this confidential; we don't want to cause a mass panic."

"Goodnight." I said simply before walking out the door with Melinda following me from behind as we walked back to our rooms.

"Well, that went…ok I guess." She said, twiddling the bone in her right hand.

"I feel as though I was being kind of horrible to the friends I made here, so I didn't want to do anything like that to Murphy again. He's only seventeen, and I had been taking advantage of his naivety. I really don't want to do that again to him." I said somewhat sadly. "Think we should just tell him that a monstrous alien is out there and wants to cause this planet some serious damage? I mean, if he volunteers then, I'd be fine with it."

"If you have to, I'd say it's ok. Might want to run that by Charlie first." She said, climbing into bed.

"Sounds like a plan. Well, see you in the morning." I said, crawling under the covers as I slowly fell asleep. By now, I had gotten so used to sleeping with my two tails that they were no longer disrupting me sleep at all. Who knows: maybe these extra appendages will grow on me in a month's time.

That is, if I'm still around by that point. The thought of this hidden danger threatening my life made my sleep rather turbulent. Do I run, or do I fight? What if I'm incapable of either? The Devourer, one way or another, would affect my life at some point in the future, but how do I prepare for something I know nothing about? Best I could do is stay close to and trust Melinda. She always felt more comfortable in unpredictable situations, and her swift adaptation to this alien world seemed to be further evidence of that. However, as well adjusted as she seemed, I doubt she, or anyone else in the Excursion Club, would stand a chance against this thing. With no sign of The Devourer or The Guardian of Forever, this just seemed like a wild goose chase. Guess poking around was the best we could do for now.

"Basil, time to get up." My sister said loudly as I rolled out of bed and followed her upstairs for breakfast. Hardly the best meal, but it was functional I guess. Murphy greeted me happily, announcing that he had while his entire afternoon booked for rehearsals, but that he'd be more than happy to have a drink of two with me afterwards. Guess I couldn't say no to that, but since it was still morning, there was a more pressing matter to deal with.

"Hey Murphy, the, uh, Excursion Club kind of needs you for an hour or two." I said rather sheepishly as Murphy tilted his head to the side slightly, looking down at me.

"What for?"

"See the Pale Communion? The leader of this continent has been taken into custody. Your acting skills have been noted, and they think that you'd be good at interrogating him. It wasn't my idea or suggestion, and I'm sure they won't make you do it." I said as he started looking uncomfortable.

"Well, I'd normally refuse, but…well, they did ask me for a favour in return for allowing me to stay here and helping me get into a better theatre. I suppose it's only fair. That being said, I just want to entertain people. This just feels mean." He said as I coughed slightly.

"He's been behind several of my kind getting murdered here. He doesn't deserve a shred of kindness. Still, I can see why you don't want to do the dirty work, though it could potentially save the lives of some of my people." I said as Murphy continued to fidget.

"Well, I suppose I could try. I'm gonna speak to Charlie about it first though." He said, slowly shuffling away and knocking on his office door.

"Hey Basil." I heard Nisbeth say to me from behind as I turned to look at him. "Just saying that I'll be away all day. I probably won't get home until late in the evening, since I'm going with Audrey and Layla to investigate that black statue we passed. Audrey's keeping quiet as to why, but…" He said, trailing off and looking around before leaning in to whisper in my ear.

"You said there was something threatening the world. Is it anything to do with that?" He said as I nodded slowly.

"You didn't hear that from me. We're trying not to cause a panic here." I said as Nisbeth gave himself a bit of a shake to calm himself.

"I…can we go into your room quickly?" He said as I replied with a swift nod. Using my key, I unlocked the door as we both walked swiftly downstairs into my basement room.

"Just so no one overhears us…I've gotta be honest here. I did not sign up for this. I wanted to believe that the stuff on your sister's note you told me about was a bunch of crap. All that stuff about needing to save the planet…I just wanted to take this last chance at achieving my dreams, and just when I get it…this happens. I wanted to chart out the last few hidden spots in this world! I don't want this kind of planetary fate on my shoulders! It's all true, isn't it. There's something threatening this world, isn't there." He said, constantly wiping the sweat from his face, pacing constantly around all the corners of the room.

"That thing is known as The Devourer, but I only know of its name. Look, I never asked for this either. I always wanted to find Melinda and go back to my own world given how dangerous this place is, but since your world isn't entirely unliveable, so I was considering staying here as a contingency plan. Not anymore with that thing out there somewhere. We might have only months left, maybe even weeks! I still can't wrap my head around this! I initially brushed off what Melinda said in her note as simply being false, but with the leaders here confirming it and having been in contact with The Guardian of Forever…I'm finding it hard to deny after all this weird shit I went through." I said as Nisbeth put a hand on my shoulder.

"I like you, Basil, and I trust you. Listen, if you have any way of getting back to your world, can I come with you?" He asked as I smiled anyway.

"I was going to offer you anyway. As I've been trying to say to Melinda, I think this might be a lost cause. It's tragic if everyone here is going to die, but if I can at least help save a few people, then I think I've done well. Thing is, I don't think my sister's having any of this. If she keeps up this rate, she'll die here! Yeah, she's clearly adapted well, but I doubt you can adapt to that strange alien if Rayquaza and The Guardian of Forever couldn't! Murphy as well, I want to save him too. I know it might come across as uncaring to leave this world to die, but there's nothing we can do. I find it a miracle I was able to make the weapon, but I could never make something big enough to output more power than Rayquaza!" I said, tugging slightly on my fur.

"What can we do about this though? Guess we shouldn't panic. Basil, we should stay with these guys, and if there's an opportunity to get back to your world, I'm going with you." Nisbeth said to me, sitting down on the bed, trying to calm himself down.

"Charlie said they had been in contact with The Guardian of Forever at some point, but they decided to break contact so The Devourer couldn't use the signals to find us. It's a huge risk, but perhaps we can use one of those devices to contact him." I suggested as Nisbeth shook his head.

"I can't imagine we can just synch up communication devices remotely like that. Even then, he might not even have his device anymore. Still, I somehow doubt we're going to get far unless we find him. Perhaps you could convince Charlie to start a grand search for your kidnapper. He brought you here, so he can take us to safety back in your world, just like your old plan." He said as I smiled slightly.

"Well, Charlie had seen him before, so he'll have a better chance of finding him than we do. This sounds like a plan. Regardless, I'd better start heading along to the local prison to help interrogate the Pale Communion's local leader. It's a long shot, but maybe he'll know something." I said as we left the room, feeling slightly better, or at least as good as we could when we knew there was something terrible out there that likely wanted us dead.

"Ready to go Basil?" I heard Charlie said, clearly having had a more than drinks before this as he swayed slightly on the spot. He looked even worse than usual, and seemed like he could collapse at any second. Melinda stood by him, looking more than ready to help with the interrogation with Murphy standing behind him, still looking like he didn't want to do this.

"Yup." I replied as we walked out of the headquarters and into town. Another sunny day greeted us as I felt the star's rays beat down upon us. Melinda didn't seem to mind as much as I did, which I chalked up to the species she had become.

"Hey Charlie, does this count as the favour that Audrey asked me for?" He asked as Charlie lazily looked down at him.

"Yeah, I guess so. Mind if we ask for help in the future if we need it? Just something informal, and you can say no to any request at any time. Don't worry, we'll compensate you for future favours." Charlie said, lobbing the empty bottle into a bin at the other side of the street. "Oh, Melinda, you're taking notes during this."

"If you love that basic stuff so much, you'll go crazy over our booze at home." I said, chuckling slightly.

"Well, if I ever get the chance, I'll be sure to visit." Charlie said, directing us towards the prison. Murphy entered last, shuffling in slowly. Looking down the halls, there were many different types of cells of many different shapes and sizes, each designed to contain different sorts of pokemon. Some had really thick bars to avoid some pokemon being able to hack their way through them, others had floor of thick metal to prevent burrowing among other contraptions. Needless to say, I had every intention of obeying the law, or at least making sure I'd never get caught as this place looked far worse than the prisons back home.

"Leader of the State Broussard Pale Communion chapter? Ok, I'll take you too him now." The tyranitar said as he took us down a hallway. The prisoners looked flat out dejected, for the most part, though a fair number of them growled and yelled at me. I even recognized a couple of them as previous assailants as we glared back at each other.

"Yeah? Fuck you too!" I said loudly at one of them, clanging angrily on the bars, claiming that I and the rest of my kind would be the death of us all. I felt good seeing those that tried to kill me get their comeuppance. With any luck, they'd have either a life sentence in horrible conditions or receive an execution.

"Here he is." He said, pointing to a heatmor of all things, with some kind of refrigeration system inside. Even though he looked exhausted, shivering as he sat in place, he stared hard at me out of the top of his eyes, still keeping his head down. He didn't blink whatsoever and refused to break eye contact with me, though he seemed too weak and cold to breath much fire at all.

"Come to gloat with your army of useful idiots I see? I hope y'all are aware of the threat that humans pose." He said to me as I sighed slightly.

"Nah, I've got no interest in gloating and certainly no interest in ruining this planet. We've come to ask some questions." I replied as he shook his head slowly, still keeping his firm and piercing eye contact.

"So you can stop us all over the world? Not a chance. Then there'll be nothing standing in the way of this alien invasion you have going on here." He said as Charlie stepped forward.

"Every time you sorry bitches say this, you never give any evidence." He said, still slurring his words. "Now, do you know anything about The Devourer?" He said, being straight forward and to the point. He looked at Charlie briefly, his eyes opening slightly.

"Never heard of that." He replied, and I noticed that Murphy had a similar sort of reaction.

"What is this Devourer anyway? Sounds real scary." Murphy said as Charlie slapped himself across the face.

"…Shit. Right, The Devourer's this alien that is threatening the planet and we need to stop it. Right, we need to-" He said, but, needless to say, his utterly wasted nature was not getting the better of him by now.

"WHAT?!" Murphy yelled in shock. "Basil, didn't you say something about Melinda's note saying that something was threatening our world?" He said so quickly I could barely make out his words.

"Uh…yes…I, uh, only found out about The Devourer last night…" I said at about a fifth the speed of Murphy, drumming my fingers as I looked away from him.

"Yeah? Ok, how do you know that he's not The Devourer?" The heatmor said, pointing at me suddenly.

"That's ridiculous even to me! Now tell me, do you know anything about The Devourer?!" Charlie said, leaning against the wall, and pointing back at him.

"No! But perhaps it's behind the humans coming here, if it's not a human itself. Would explain a lot." He retorted as it looked like Murphy was about to snap.

"You know what, I'll deal with this since Charlie isn't doing anything useful!" He said, nudging the larger pokemon out of the way and stood almost nose-to-nose with the heatmor. "What this drunkard hasn't told you is that the lives of you and your crew of murderers depend on your cooperation." He said, his voice suddenly becoming a lot lower and sinister.

"What?! They wouldn't execute us! Surely you know they don't have the death penalty anywhere aside from Mistet Ørkenen!" He shouted back but Murphy just closed his eyes and shook his head slowly before staring back at the heatmor.

"Not with what they've been discussing recently. This rash of murders that you've unleashed recently has caused a shift in public opinion. Now, as a member of the Excursion Club, I get exclusive knowledge about the shifts in policies from the Newer Orleans council, and they're strongly considering introducing the death penalty, which would likely apply to any and all Pale Communion members, so any goodwill you show will go a long way into saving the lives of you and your henchmen. As Charlie does hold some sway about what happens in the council, I doubt he'll be forgiving if you choose not to cooperate. Besides, if you live, there's always a chance that you'll escape to continue your mission, so as you can see, it's in your best interest to tell us what you know." He said, occasionally glancing at the three of us, trying to tell us to not raise any questions. I didn't know if this was a pack of lies from Murphy or not, but fortunately, the hearmor also wasn't sure.

"Are you serious?" He said, suddenly sounding worried. I was amazed that Charlie didn't blow Murphy's cover as Murphy continued to speak.

"Absolutely. Now, what do you know about The Devourer? Tell me everything you know about anything potentially strange going on. Trust me, it'll be in your best interest since if you don't get executed, then chances are The Devourer will kill you anyway." He said firmly as the heatmor scratched his head.

"Well, we have been noting strange disappearances from people around the same time the humans started showing up. It's likely that the rescue services are very slow on this because it doesn't get reported too often, which leads us to believe that these people vanish when they're always alone. Usually takes over a week until they're officially declares missing. We figured that the connection between the disappearances must be linked to the humans arriving given they both started happening about the same time, hence the most likely reason is that they're causing it. You know, we did have a meowstic on Fremdesland disappear about two and a half weeks ago. Care to explain that one Basil?" He said, suddenly staring at me. Indeed, I had only been here for just over two weeks. Was there a connection somehow?

"Lay off him, or else…" Melinda said, as Murphy took over.

"Good manners go a long way to saving your life." He said slowly. "Continue."

"Well, that's how the Pale Communion formed. We were also investigating the black statues, which I'm sure you've heard of by now, but we couldn't get much on them. We can't carry them, and after spending more than ten minutes around them, I started to have this really irrational fear growing within me that ruined my concentration. Felt like I was about to die at any moment. As a result, we really don't have anything on them, and since they're purely black, it's hard to make out any details, so we can't tell if it's made to look like a specific person or not." He said, seeming a bit more pleasant now that he was cooperating with us. Needless to say, I still hope he'd get the axe regardless.

"Anything else?" Murphy said slowly, still staring intensely at him.

"Uh…it's a small thing, but about a month ago, we had someone almost brutally murder one of our Pale Communion members at complete random near Bonnieport. It was a pair of brelooms who were both part of our movement, and both of them said they found something weird. I had known the two of them for ten years and they seemed to be best friends. They were tasked with meeting someone else from the Pale Communion. The guy who was due to meet them suddenly heard screaming and saw one of them trying to punch the other to death. He got arrested and killed himself in jail the next day. We thought this kind of sudden insanity and bloodthirstiness could have been induced by some mysterious human's power, trying to sew disorder among us." He said, speaking a little faster as his voice got a pinch higher in tone.

"Always blaming the humans…" Murphy said, shaking his head. "Well, we thank you for your cooperation. I'm sure Charlie will help ensure that you and your brethren are not executed." He continued as we walked away and left the prison.

"That was amazing Murphy!" Charlie said, smiling, and giving Murphy an uncomfortable hug.

"Yeah…please don't ask me to do that again." He said, looking shaken for more than one reason. "Can, uh, we just go back to the headquarters? I've got a lot to think about."

"I understand…I'm gonna need another drink." Charlie said, hiccupping as we strolled inside the headquarters.

"Mind if I have a moment with you Basil?" He asked me and lead me to a more secluded area. Charlie left the storeroom, clutching a bottle of moonshine or whatever it was in his hands as we went inside. It wasn't very big and there wasn't a living soul inside aside from the two of us. Closing the door gently, Murphy turned to look at me.

"That was not easy for me to do in there. Do you have any idea what it's like trying to focus on something you didn't feel comfortable doing upon learning there's something out there that wants to kill us all? I mean, what's the use in acting and entertaining people if we're all going to die?" He said sadly, slumping down on a box, looking utterly defeated.

"Murphy, I'm not gonna let you die." I said firmly, trying to inspire a bit of confidence in him. "Listen, regardless of what happens, we're not going to get far without finding The Guardian of Forever. Once we find him, I'm going to find a way to get him to send us home. You, Melinda Nisbeth and I. We're going to live, Murphy. I'll find a way to make sure that happens."

"But what about everyone else?" He asked me, as I stuttered slightly.

"I'll try to convince him to save everyone he can, but I doubt we can save everyone." I said softly, while also being upfront and truthful.

"Basil, I like it here. I don't want my home to fall to The Devourer, whatever it is. Surely there's something we can do!" He said, raising his voice slightly as I shook my head softly.

"If you think you can find a way to think of something that Rayquaza's and The Guardian's combined efforts aren't capable of doing, then I'd like to hear it." I said, shrugging slightly.

"You won't find answers by giving up so easily Basil! You thought that finding Melinda would be almost impossible, and yet, you found her! I didn't think I'd be able to get into a theatre this quickly in my life, and here I am, seventeen years of age, and already making money and people smile! You're of the same species that The Sound of Perseverance is! If all the legends and rumours are true, then you and Melinda could be our saviours! It only took one human to stare at a mad god – and win! The Devourer should have nothing on you and your sister!" He said, sounding as frustrated as he was delusional.

"You've been with me for two weeks! You know I'm a terrible fighter! We humans don't have supernatural powers or anything like that! I've no idea how Floyd done it." I said as Murphy thought about this for a while.

"Well, some of the religious text said he could see past, present and future." Murphy said.

"Yeah, well, I can't, and neither can Melinda." I said as Murphy stood up, looking down at me.

"When I found out the world was potentially in danger, I put aside my personal goals and fears to help the people who are at least _trying_ to do something! Why can't you do the same?!" He said, raising his voice until he was shouting.

"I…" I said before he cut in again.

"You know what I want to do right now? Go home and spent time with my family while I still can! But, do you know why I'm not going to do that? Because there are people out there that need our help! Turns out that my acting ability can be useful here! I completely fooled that heatmor! I don't think I'll enjoy this, but it needs done! You know what, you may be right: Maybe it is a hopeless battle, but I'd rather die knowing I at least tried to stop it than scurrying away and hiding!" He said as I stuttered slightly.

"Well, uh, we should try to find The Guardian of Forever. We can at least ask him on what can be done." I said, trying to skirt the issue.

"Good! Besides, we have a good team here. We don't know unless we try. Just don't go running off on us." He said as I looked back at him.

"I won't run off." I replied, though I wasn't sure how truthful I was being about that or not. Regardless, we had similar goals now, so I wouldn't have to face that decision for now. That being said, I didn't care much for this world. I'd have never even known of its existence if I wasn't dragged here, and this planet hasn't exactly been the most gracious host. Leaving the storeroom, I slowly walked towards my room as Murphy split off from me. I heard Melinda's voice calling him over, and curiosity got the better of me. Standing behind the wall, I listened in carefully, lifting up one of my ears ever so slightly to improve my hearing. It was a bit trickier than expected, since I didn't want it to snap open and unleash a burst of psionic energy, so I held it in place using one of my hands.

"…Yeah, I spoke to him as you asked. He seemed to come to his senses. Seems like your brother and I have something in common with persuasion." I heard Murphy say to her. So that must have been what the two of them were talking about earlier. Didn't think Melinda would have put him up to this.

"Please don't think of him as selfish. Seriously, I know Basil wouldn't hesitate to take a bullet for me or you, but he only acts remotely like that towards people he knows. Lemme guess, he wants to take us and his friends back to our world, right?" Melinda asked Murphy.

"Yeah. I mean, I get where he's coming from, and he's right in a way: It's really not his fight, nor is it yours. You two were dragged into this against you will, but The Guardian must have had a reason, and I don't think it's out of nostalgia for his ally. Basil said he actually met The Sound of Perseverance back in his own world; guess he's not as dead as we thought." Murphy said. His voice by now seemed to be only pretending to be firm, and by now, I could tell that Murphy was rather scared.

"Yeah we did. He's kind of old now, he looked at least fifty. He didn't seem like a great hero or anything like that. Maybe he wanted younger people to help him?" She replied. "As far as I'm concerned, the humans he summoned still have a responsibility to try to save this world. I couldn't live with myself if I just abandoned everyone here. As for Basil, we'll try to keep him on the same page. I've heard some humans might have died here, and I really don't want their deaths to mean nothing." She said, and it was at this point where I wish I interrupted Murphy's big fat mouth.

"There has, and I saw one. He was with us briefly, and his name was Danil, and-" He said before Melinda suddenly shrieked in horror, causing anyone in the surrounding area to fall silent. I heard her loud footsteps coming closer, walking past me, and flung the door open before running into her room. Following her down the stairs, I locked the door behind me and saw her sobbing on her bed, face in the pillow, her body shuddering with grief.

"Why did it have to be him, WHY?!" She yelled, not even seeming to realise I was there. I decided not to say anything until the shock passed, simply allowing her to get the worst of the grief out of her system. Eventually, she rolled over on her bed, looking at me with a lazy, tearful eye.

"I…I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell you or not. I…got the feeling that-" I said, though Melinda cut me off.

"Yeah, it's true. I did have a crush on Danil, and I was secretly hoping that he felt the same way about me. Heh, look at me. I'm twenty-seven and I'm in love with a Russian celebrity." She said, giving a half of a laugh mixed with more sobbing.

"Mel'…when I spoke to him, I think he might have felt the same way about you." I said without really thinking. Who knew how Melinda would react to hearing about this?

"That's…that's nice, but…oh, it's pointless now. He's dead." She said, as I noticed her grief slowly turning into bitterness. "You know, Basil, I really agree with you now." She said, pushing herself up so she was now sitting on her bed.

"On what?" I asked as she slammed her fist onto her bedside table.

"The Guardian of Forever is a bastard!" She screamed suddenly. "He indirectly killed him! He could have gotten you killed too! I'm sorry I was so dismissive of this before, I guess it took a stronger message to really get things across to me." She continued, shaking on the spot out of raw fury.

"Then we know what we must do." I said lowly and slowly.

"Exactly. We can't let Danil have died for nothing! Though I'm still going to give The Guardian of Forever the pain that he went through in his final moments! I want to protect the people on this planet from The Devourer more than ever now, so that his death actually means something. It's the best I can hope to achieve for Danil now, but I'll be damned if I have to do it with The Guardian's help!" She said, growling slightly through her teeth.

"I hate him as much as you do Mel'. Between you and I, let's beat him to within an inch of his life as soon as we get the chance. Let's teach him what happens when he fucks with mankind!" I said, standing up. Melinda stood up as well and shook my hand as the pact was made. We may disagree on what to do over the fate of this world, but as for our more immediate goals, we were in accord.

During dinner, Melinda was clearly still torn up over Danil's death as she crudely grabbed the food in her hands and scarfed it down without a care in the world. She left the table only two minutes after she sat down with her hands covered in half the food that was on her plate, still eating off them as she stormed off back to our room. As soon as I finished, I walked up behind Murphy who was still eating his food.

"Hey, nice job telling her about what happened to Danil. Really appreciated!" I said, forcing my sarcasm to come across as sarcastic as humanly possible as I tapped him on the shoulder. Unlike Melinda, he seemed to lose a lot of his appetite over periods of extreme anxiety, since he barely touched his food.

"Sorry Basil, I really don't remember you telling me not to say anything about that to her. Probably just my memory." He said while I grunted and walked off. "Tell her I'm sorry, ok?"

"Sure." I said rather dismissively as I joined Melinda in her room as I spent the next hour or so trying to ease her pain.

"Guess this is yet another example of me not trusting you when I should." She said sadly, lying down on her bed.

"I've got a good nose for this sort of thing. You can maybe see why I want absolutely nothing to do with this. This world was crazy enough even before I found out about The Devourer, given that The Pale Communion are hunting people like you and I down. Don't get me wrong, I'd happily explore this world with you under safer circumstances. I guess people back home would miss us, but this is an opportunity very few people ever get; totally worth it if I'm with you Mel'." I said, wondering for a moment. "Maybe we'll get our wish if we go to other continents to hunt down our kidnapper."

"I think I'd like that. Just hope The Devourer isn't in a hurry to kill us." She said, giving a very faint smile.

"I'm sure he's watching us as we speak, and will only have us put away once we've explored all five continents." I said, responding with the morbid humour that she sometimes enjoys. It seemed to help cheer her up a bit, even if she was still visible destroyed by Danil's death.

"Everyone to the front hall!" I suddenly heard someone yell, and Melinda and I did as we were told. I saw a small crowd of about fifteen gathered in front of Charlie, Audrey and Nisbeth. The sea of murmurs bounced off the walls before Charlie silenced us. Audrey looked visibly distressed, and Nisbeth didn't look much better. Eventually, Nisbeth stepped forward and spoke loudly.

"Layla has been murdered." He said as the murmuring returned with a vengeance. It felt like the very air trembled with shock, and Charlie was unable to silence them this time.

"Think it was the Pale Communion?" I asked in a low voice to Murphy, standing on my toes to try and get as close as I could to his ear.

"No idea…" He said as Charlie was eventually able to calm them down.

"We were investigating around the black statue when she was suddenly attacked by a crazed looking blaziken. We ran over to try and help her, but we were too late. We tried to apprehend the blaziken, and we did, but as soon as we had him pinned down he just suddenly…died. Just like that. No pulse, no sign of life." Nisbeth said, still clearly a little shaken up. "We ran back here right after the commotion, fearing another sudden attack. We had no idea if this blaziken had friends nearby."

"I knew we shouldn't have spread out so much to investigate the surroundings…it's my fault." Audrey said, looking like she could cry at any moment.

"It's not the first casualty we've suffered here…" Charlie said, putting his half empty bottle on the ground. I guess shit was getting serious with him here now. "As tragic as this is, we must try to think logically. The biggest mystery is why the blaziken suddenly died. How much force did you use?"

"Not even enough to knock him out. If I wanted to kill him, I'd have used about ten times the amount of poison. He didn't even look that roughed up, though it never said a word to us." Nisbeth said as Charlie thought about this.

"Well, we have two options here. We can send a bigger party back to the statue and stay closer to each other, or we can try and track down the one who likely knows what's going on in detail – The Guardian of Forever. Unless things have changed recently, his closest friend right now lives on Conviction. He is Guildmaster Bibarel, and for the two humans among us, people over there typically refer to each other by their species. Chances are, he'll not be using communication devices with him either, but if there's anyone who knows where he could be now or where he could be going, it'll likely be him." Charlie announced, holding everyone's attention, though I could still see him glancing at the bottle occasionally.

"You could maybe send five overseas to meet with Bibarel while the rest of us go back to the statue." Jirachi said, which Charlie seemed to agree with.

"Right, sounds like a plan. I think we should send one human to conviction and have the other help us-" Charlie said, but I was having none of this.

"Melinda and I are staying together whether you like it or not! Like I've said before, I went through so much shit to find her!" I shouted as to be herd over Charlie's naturally loud voice.

"Group chemistry is always a good thing. I could lead the two humans alongside Nisbeth and Murphy." Audrey said to Charlie.

"Alright, we'll do that then! Right, I think that's everything in order! Time for bed guys! There's a big day for all of us! Shut the doors after we leave!" He said, bouncing once, grabbing the bottle, and taking a huge swig.

"Well, that was decisive. How long has he been drinking like that for?" I asked Audrey.

"He, uh, didn't take the death of the team mates of an excursion he lead too well…strangely enough, it didn't slow him down though. Well, meet me here at nine tomorrow, just after breakfast and we'll get our stuff ready to go on the ship tomorrow. Very glad to have you and Melinda here, Basil." She said warmly before wishing us a goodnight. Well, guess I got on the team I wanted to, and with the people I liked. Guess things could have gone worse. No one spoke to each other, clearly still internalizing Charlie's sudden and rash decision. Maybe it was for the best, however.

Lying down in bed, I felt as though I didn't even scratch the surface of what was to come in the future. What was The Devourer? Or The Guardian of Forever for that matter? Were they pokemon? Were they both aliens, not being human, animal or pokemon? Sleeping was going to be very difficult as I realised that I was going to step even further into the great unknown than I had bargained for.


	16. Alien Shore

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 16: Alien Shore

"Sleeping in again Basil? Just like your human self." Melinda said, chuckling slightly as she woke me up.

"Didn't sleep well. Pretty hard when The Devourer's out there, so please forgive me." I replied, grumbling slightly as we met in the dining hall for breakfast. Charlie was running up and down, gathering all the equipment he could find. I assumed it was because he didn't want to leave without a tool that could crack the secrets of the black statues, and a bottle of booze was noticeably absent from his left hand.

"Got a moment you two?" Jirachi said, yawning slightly as he took Melinda and I to one side. "Just advising you on a few things about going to Conviction since I used to live there. Audrey's only been there once before, so take my advice over hers. In hind sight, I really have no idea why Charlie didn't try to nag me into leading you guys there over Audrey. Anyway, don't expect people to call you Melinda and Basil. It'll be Marowak and Meowstic while you're there. They used to be fine with foreigners calling themselves by their actual names, but the loonies over there think their culture is under threat and thus refuse to call anyone by name."

"That sounds stupid. How do families operate then? 'Hey, Pikachu, Pikachu wants some toast!' 'So does Pikachu and Pikachu, but Pikachu doesn't like toast so give him eggs instead!'" I said, with Melinda clearly trying to hide her laughter.

"I'd be offended, but I agree with you. It's partially why I moved here. Also, your humanity...you should keep it a secret there too, but for a different reason. The Pale Communion are pretty much non-existent there, given the locals think of your kinds as being like gods. Y'know, just like Dialga. Doesn't help that The Sound of Perseverance, or Flynn...Floyd, that was his name, supposedly beat up Dialga alongside The Guardian of Forever." He said, sounding like he was struggling to stay awake. I'd suggest that he just rests on the ground instead of spending energy hovering there, but who was I to question how this jirachi operates?

"Speaking of Floyd, did I ever tell you that I actually met him? No one here believes me, but maybe you will..." He said, giving an awkward smile as Melinda and I looked at each other briefly.

"We have too. Don't ask us how the different stories of that strange policeman match up." Melinda replied.

"It's why I believe the whole Floyd saving the world thing is bogus. I mean, come clean with me – did he look or act like someone who'd save us all from being frozen in time? One day, I was sleeping in my cave and out comes this strange looking snivy saying that he was a human and wanted to be returned to his homeland. Now our kind actually can't grant wishes, but I felt bad about disappointing the guy, so I tried a sort of lie, but he saw through it pretty quickly. After that, he just left and that was it, and some time later, I heard he was from the future and that he stared Dialga in the face and made him blink first, metaphorically speaking, stopped time from, well, stopping, and died." He said, yawning.

"Well, when we met him, it was at a Halloween party, and-" Melinda said, with Jirachi raising one of his eyebrows.

"Halloween?" He asked us, letting us know that this human tradition hadn't made it to this world.

"Eh, a human thing. Anyway, he arrived a little late, had a talking sceptile pounce and hug him and stuff, and just sat in the corner watching everyone like he was still on duty." Melinda said, but this didn't quell Jirachi's curiosity at all.

"You mean a civilized sceptile, right? Are they common there? It's a long shot, but I wonder if that sceptile had anything to do with the grovyle he was working with...ah, this is all making me tired. Anyway, be sure to be nice to Guildmaster Bibarel, he knew both the supposed heroes fairly well while they were around, so he'll hopefully be able to tell you where to find him. I'd better go set up the psychic alarm system while I, ahem, 'watch' this place while the others are gone. Good luck!" Jirachi said, floating by us.

"So...believe there's any truth to the whole creepy cop saving time itself? If it's true, then we technically owe us his life. If it happened thirty-five years ago, neither of us would have even been born by this point." Melinda said as I thought about it briefly.

"Eh, probably grains of truth in it somewhere. Though, what he said about treating humans as gods though..." I said, slowly cracking a smile as I rubbed my hands together.

"Don't even think about it Basil." Melinda said strictly as I rolled my eyes.

"You're not my mum Mel'!" I retorted as we laughed together as we walked downstairs to join Audrey, Nisbeth and Murphy.

"Just in time you two. Anyway, as I was saying, we're going to give you all some of Conviction currency. Don't spend more than you need to, as in, no gifts, no luxuries or anything like like that. If we end up with spare time, there'll be an exchange in Treasure Town where you can bring your own money to swap out." She said, handing us all a small sack of money each. "I've got the return tickets for the journey, and I'll be keeping a hold of them."

"So we can't go back when we want?" Nisbeth asked, not sounding the look of things.

"I'm the boss on this trip, and you will answer to me, Toxicorak." She said sternly at him.

"My name is Nisbeth, in case you forgotten." He retorted, grumbling slightly.

"Just getting in practice of blending into their culture and not sticking out like a sore thumb. As for the humans, I'd imagine that if they adjusted to our way of life here, then this should be easy, right?" She asked us, sounding friendlier.

"Trust me, I've not adjusted at all." I said, giving a hollow laugh.

"Oh nonsense, you've done really well so far Basil. Anyway..." She said, as she went over a few things. Glancing at the others, I could tell that Nisbeth really didn't want to go through with this. I really felt for the guy though, since I doubt he dreamt of having all this responsibility thrown on him, but with the threat of The Devourer, returning home to his old life wasn't much of an option either. Regardless, I'd make sure things worked out for him ok in the end. Murphy also looked like he'd rather be elsewhere, more specifically a theatre. Looking back at Audrey, I began suspecting that she flat out conned him with her offer, but with The Devourer at large, it seemed like Murphy was also locked in here. Poor guys; if it weren't for me, they needn't have to worry about all this.

"Well, that should be everything. Meet up back here in ten minutes, and we'll head out to the docks." Audrey said after she was done explaining everything as I got my possessions together and fit them all nicely in my backpack.

"For you." I heard Jirachi say from behind after I left my room, handing me a few pouches. "Some powder for the weapon in case you get into trouble over there."

"...I can't believe I almost forgot to restock on that!" I said, thanking him, though feeling very annoyed at myself for being so careless.

"That backpack looks heavy for you." Melinda said, looking down at me.

"Sorry that I didn't turn into a bigger pokemon!" I said, grunting as I tightened the straps. Before long, we set out into town as I watched Jirachi close up the place behind me with an occasional look over my shoulder. When we arrived, I saw a pair of feraligators inspecting the hull of the ship from the waters, swimming around it carefully before giving someone a signal of some kind.

"All safe, you may board now." A furret announced as Audrey showed him our tickets as we walked across the gangplank.

"What was that about?" Melinda asked Audrey.

"Well, there is one group of pokemon that are very upset about ships being invented and developed over the past few decades. The sea fearing industry was purely controlled by a family of laprases before hand and charged extortionate amounts of cash. Naturally, they're very upset now that the wind has been taken out of their sails, so to speak." She said, pointing upwards as the ships sails unfolded from above. "Ever since they sunk one of the ships here, the entire family are not allowed anywhere near our coast."

"That's horrible!" Melinda said, shocked upon hearing this.

"How many died?" I asked, wanting to get more of the details.

"About twenty. After that, what little business they had left sunk. Seriously, what is it with me and puns right now..." She said, sighing slightly as I took a look around the ship. It was about the size of a small galleon, though given the many different shapes and sizes that pokemon come in, I couldn't tell how many passengers it could hold. It was surprisingly very much like the ships that were used in the seventeenth century in design, with a few local touches, such as a wider design and the fleur-de-lis painted on the sails. I must admit, I'd have loved to watch one of these ships being built by the people here.

"Isn't it exciting that we're getting to see another continent?" Melinda said to the rest of us.

"My parents are going to slaughter me..." Murphy said, sounding rather sad and filled with a faint sense of dread.

"It's what I've dreamed off, but...well, I'd have liked to have done this without the threat of you-know-what." Nisbeth said, wandering off to be on his own.

"I've screwed up Mel'..." I said to her quietly as the ship made its way out of the harbour as I stared over the stern of the ship, keeping my eyes on State Broussard as it started to approach the horizon. "Look at the pair of them; they're miserable being here! I confess, I did exploit them initially, but after a while, I did truly want to see them achieve their hopes and dreams. Murphy, the acting prodigy! Nisbeth, being the explorer he always wanted to be...just that he needed me and possibly a midlife crisis to take the last chance to go out there and make his dreams come true before he got too old! I thought that I'd have helped make their lives so much better...should have told Audrey to get lost when making that offer to Murphy..." I continued, leaning my chin on the railing of the ship.

"You can't be responsible for their decisions Basil. They chose to go with you, they chose to become part of the Excursion Club. Not every choice works out in the end, such as my decision to stray from your plan for the finals." She said, trying to make me feel better.

"Yeah, and they wouldn't have chosen to do so if I didn't badger them into it. I mean, neither of them were exactly unhappy with where they were, and now I've burdened them with all this nonsense. Face it Mel', I've been terrible to them, and I feel as though if I do something to make it up to them, I'll only dig them deeper in this mess." I said, sighing heavily as I gazed at the sea below.

"You know, right now, I'm starting to identify with those Floyd worshippers. Maybe he'd know what to do right now." I said as Melinda leaned on the railing next to me. Thankfully, it looked very sturdy, so there was no risk of falling overboard. "Speaking of Floyd, know what I did to try and find you back in our world? I went to the police and spoke to him. Turns out all the stuff he told me about this world was true, but I swore he was hiding something, so you know what I did? I got your team together, had Fearow track down where he lived and used the rest of your team to try and get the answers of out Floyd by force. Then, I was taken to this world. To think, I might have killed the career of this world's hero, since he'll have a lot of explaining to do."

"Did you not even consider that you'd be arrested?! Could have gone to prison for several years, and good luck getting a respectable job after that!" Melinda said, sounding quite disturbed about what I did. "Are my pokemon ok?"

"They were when I last saw them, but that was over two weeks ago. Regardless, I knew the risks, but do you think I could live with myself if I didn't do what I thought was necessary to know what happened to you and to make sure you're safe? I couldn't live with myself if I didn't do what I did." I said honestly, as Melinda smiled at me.

"That's honestly slightly creepy in a way, but I really appreciate it regardless. Still, you know I'm tough and smart as a human or a pokemon: I'll be ok Basil, I promise you. We're going to find a way to defeat The Devourer, then we can go back to our old lives and win the British Isles cup for 2068. Besides, wouldn't saving their world be an excellent way to make up for what you've thought you've done to your friends over there?" She said as I rolled my eyes.

"Hey, convincing people to do things is my job!" I said and laughed, not wanting to give her a direct answer. "So how are the others at the Excursion Club like anyway, since you've known them for a lot longer than I have."

"Kind of weird, but probably just a _very_ foreign culture thing. The higher-ups all seem very nice to me, but I'm assuming that it's because they see me as a way to defeat The Devourer, given that they're not as friendly to their own. I mean, it's a miracle Charlie hasn't died of alcohol poisoning, and Audrey gets quite snappy with the lower staff members sometimes." She said, gazing up into the sky upon hearing some wingulls caw loudly. "A part of me misses home. Really could use some Yes right now."

"Like I said, I'm going to make sure we get away from all this. I mean, this out of body experience has been fascinating when it's not horrendously dangerous, but I've seen and experienced enough here. Say, if they don't freak out when they see what you do for a living, maybe Nisbeth could join your team. Let's face it, you're probably not going to win with Ursaring, and I think that Nisbeth would be a fantastic replacement." I said as she frowned at me.

"He's my first ever pokemon Basil, I'm not replacing him." She said firmly as I slowly shook my head.

"Sentimentality doesn't breed winners." I said as Melinda looked over her shoulder to see some of the other passengers milling around near the bow of the ship.

"Well, if we stop The Devourer, that'll be more worthwhile than winning thirty world championships in a row." She said, looking at the strangers, probably thinking that their lives were in her hands.

"We're just trying to find The Guardian of Forever for now, let's not get ahead of ourselves." I said firmly.

"Promise me you won't try to attack him on sight. I know you're furious at him, and, well, so am I for getting Danil killed, but at least hear him out, won't you?" She said as I grunted.

"Always the eternal peacekeeper, huh. Sure, I'll listen to what he has to say, but I'll be damned if I have to agree with even a single syllable of it. Were this a more conventional kidnapping by a foreign nation, it could lead to flat out war. If our people ever knew what was really happening and if they could travel here, I think The Devourer would be the least of their worries. Speaking of mankind, I know we were supposed to also keep our origins a secret on Conviction, but there must be something we can do with it." I said as Melinda didn't sound too happy about where I was going with this.

"We're not going to try to get the locals to see us as gods Basil." She said as I rolled my eyes.

"Why? It's not like we're going to see the people of Conviction again after this, and quite frankly, I could use something nice for a change. Would help to make up being chased around by the Pale Communion. Oh, and maybe we can convince them to help us find The Guardian of Forever." I said, but Melinda was standing firm.

"Audrey told us not to, and she's far more experienced about living in this world than we are. I say we just trust her on this." Melinda replied as I looked over to her, speaking to Murphy near the starboard.

"I suppose you're right, but I'm still going to think of ways to exploit this, with or without your help. Don't worry, the last thing I'd do is drag you into this if you're dead set against this." I said, stretching my arms, smelling the salty sea air as the ship pushed on through the choppy waves.

"You've no idea how these people will react. What if they think sacrificing a human will bring back Floyd?" She said as I found myself unable to object to that.

"Well, I'll keep tabs on their beliefs and customs before I do anything rash." I said as I slowly walked around the ship. Nisbeth seemed content to just stand around by himself, as he seemed to stare constantly over the ship's bow. Murphy seemed to have cheered up somewhat, and was speaking enthusiastically to some of the other passengers, hopefully keeping everything about The Devourer a secret.

"Enjoying yourself?" I heard Audrey ask me from behind.

"What do you think?" I said, not bothering to hide my sarcasm from my superior.

"I know we're asking so much from you, but you should really at least try to enjoy this adventure we're having." She said as I sighed.

"Getting chased around by those bastards and narrowly escaping death is enough adventure for me. I'd totally pay for a safe guided tour for these strange lands though." I replied, glancing over at her. "Write up an itinerary, and I'll take a look."

"Melinda seems more into this…" Audrey muttered to herself.

"Our people are varied, go figure." I said, grumbling slightly.

"I trust you'll be more polite to Guildmaster Bibarel. Consider that an order." She said firmly as I scoffed at her.

"Wait, are you actually trying to pull rank?" I retorted, closing my eyes, and sighing heavily. "I think you're forgetting something: You need us, but Melinda and I don't need you, so I'd strongly recommend you take the opinions and thoughts of my sister and I very seriously. Try to get us to do something overly dangerous or nasty, and you'll have to find another one of our people. Think about that carefully." I said as I walked off before she could respond. There, that should give us some more bargaining room if push came to shove later on. She seemed friendly enough, but I had no real respect for her, especially with how she manipulated Murphy into this. If I was still around after things had settled down, I'd ensure she'd uphold her end of the deal to him.

Nothing much happened over the journey, though something strange I noticed is that, since there weren't many bedrooms, the passengers took four hour sleeping shifts. Just my luck that some big and smelly nidoqueen was sleeping on the bed before me, and coupled with the next guest rudely demanding that I leave the exact second my sleep shift ended, I ended up being grouchy for the rest of the journey. Eventually, land came into sight during the late afternoon the following day and before long, the ship had arrived at the alien shore, pulling by the only dock that the shoreline had. Even from here, this place seemed to be more primitive than State Broussard, with poorly laid out paths leading from the dock.

"Huh, see those statues to the right?" I said to Murphy standing next to me, pointing over to them, standing proudly on the beach. A small area was fenced off, though you could just walk around the fenced area quite easily. Inside the fence was the grandest of all the statues, and was unmistakably a snivy with a long, thin lead coming from the top of his head and falling behind it. A few pokemon were walking around there, a couple of them on their hands and knees outside the fenced area, as if they were worshipping the damn thing. "That's Floyd, right?"

"It sure is." Murphy said as I tried not to scoff at how the people here ended up worshipping some random high ranking police officer.

"You might have time to look around later, we have to see Bibarel now. Also, species names from now on, it's considered polite here." Audrey said as I rolled my eyes. Well, it's not like that little tourist attraction was going anywhere, and these statues seemed pretty ordinary unlike those creepy jet black ones. Walking up the hill, we marched by a couple of signs directing us to Treasure Town, with signs leading back the way, directing people towards the dock and the memorial site for The Sound of Perseverance.

"Here we are." Audrey said as we stood at the bottom to a flight of stairs carved into the large mound in front of us. At the top, we saw a goofy looking building with the top of it shaped and painted like a bibarel's head.

"Well, I guess we know where his headquarters are." I said, snickering slightly to Melinda. In fact, all four of us looked like we were trying not to laugh at this blatant ego stroking, but as we looked down the small hill and towards the rest of Treasure Town, it seemed like it was just part of their culture, since the streets were lined with building shaped after different species of pokemon. One in the shape of a chansey, one of a sneasel, and a large one in the shape of Floyd's head could be seen from here, and that was just scratching the surface. They didn't seem to be well built, and looked like they were made with more primitive techniques compared to the ones back in Broussard. I theorized this could be because the humans that wound up here were from longer ago than the Americans that founded State Broussard, and were introduced with older technology and also had more time to carve out their own culture instead of mimicking a human one.

"Bibarel, it's Audrey." I heard her say as I heard the sound of someone climbing from the inside of the building, leading me to believe that most of the building was dug into the ground. It made me wonder if the other buildings were mostly underground as a bibarel opened up the portcullis in front of us. He looked fairly old, yet far from retirement as he walked towards us and shook Audrey's hand.

"Good to see you Mawile. I trust this is about you-know-what." He said, drawling slightly.

"Yes, and you'll be very interested in a couple of the guests I brought along." She said as Bibarel lead us inside. "Must have been about seven years now since you took over this place after Wigglytuff retired."

"It's not going so well, but we're still doing well enough to keep the place afloat. Still rather surreal to think I'd become the Guildmaster." He replied as we carefully climbed down the ladder and ended up in the main hall. The floor here was a poorly treated wooden surface, as if they were doing the bare minimum to ensure people don't get splinters in their feet, and seeing a couple of rickety chairs standing pathetically side by side to each other made me miss Broussard already. We were lead into Bibarel's office as he sat behind the desk.

"So, discovered anything about what could lead us to The Devourer?" He asked slowly, looking a little stressed.

"Sadly, we've not done much, but we have found two humans, and they're with us right now. The marowak here has adjusted very well to life here, and is very capable in combat. She learned very quickly. The meowstic however is having a lot of troubles, but has found a lot of creative ways to stay alive, given the Pale Communion has been onto him." Audrey said as Bibarel walked over to my sister and I and inspected us carefully. While hardly the first choice for any respectable trainer, this bibarel looked like he was a veteran in combat and survival from the way he stared at us and his scar-covered body.

"Wonder how well they adapted compared to Floyd?" He said, smiling slightly. "Still, we have three humans now. I have one staying in the guild, who should be back any moment now. Once he returns with Exploud, I'll bring him in here."

"Wonderful! However, the thing we're really wanting is to know where The Guardian of Forever might be." She said as Bibarel chuckled slightly.

"Everyone calls him that these days. Much easier to just call him Serge. Just one syllable compared to right. Still, he was always a little strange when I knew him, always insisting on having people call him by his birth name. He'd have fit in nicely in Broussard." He said, walking slowly back to his desk.

"Wait, who or what is Serge?" I asked.

"Who? He was a colleague of mine for some time here and was Floyd's best friend while he was around. Very nice chap, though he was never quite the same after Floyd died, and eventually became obsessed with being The Guardian of Forever, keeping an eye on anything that might threaten the planet. Still, with The Devourer stalking around, he's vital. He was friendly enough before he found out The Devourer was here, but he's become pretty distant ever since. Makes sense, since he said in one of his letters that sending me a message through one of those New Australian communication devices or seeing me physically could lead The Devourer here. Still, he's a wonderful person if you can catch him when he's not stressing out over something, as rare as that is." Bibarel said, occasionally peeking into a periscope that leaded up through the ceiling, presumably to see if there were anyone arriving.

"'Very nice chap?' 'Wonderful person?' He almost got me indirectly killed, and I watched a human die that would have still been alive if he didn't kidnap us and dump us on this planet!" I said sternly as Audrey cast me a glare. Bibarel sighed and rubbed his head, groaning slightly.

"Just as Serge said…he knew this was a horrible thing to do, but deemed it necessary to fight The Devourer. See, according to Serge, he discovered that humans were highly resistant to The Devourer, so he got the idea to summon as many as he could to help build an army to try and combat this thing. However, he could never specify a location for them, so the best he could do is dump them at random places on the planet." He said as Melinda frowned slightly.

"Wonder how many of them were dumped in the sea. You said random places on the planet, and at least half this planet is covered with water." She said as Bibarel slowly started looking pale beneath his fur.

"Golly, I never considered that. Look, I'm terribly sorry for what he done, this wasn't my idea! I suggested that he should wait to see if the humans were at least willing and could find a way to specify a location, but he insisted that there wasn't enough time. I swear that typhlosion has changed…" Bibarel said as I scoffed slightly.

"Wait, this grand 'Guardian of Forever' is just a typhlosion? Seems kind of…bland. Those beasties are pretty common where we come from." I said, hiding a grin underneath my scowling face. If he's a typhlosion then beating him to an inch of his life shouldn't be too hard. I dealt with many of them given how popular they were among Yorkshire battling, so I know their capabilities inside out.

"He can do thing that no ordinary pokemon can do. The most obvious example is you two humans right there. He found a way to bring you two and many others to this world. He's been rather tight lipped about how he can do all this though. Perhaps he's afraid that The Devourer might find a way to use his power." He said, visibly looking a little stressed.

"So, do you know where he could be right now?" Audrey asked as Bibarel shook his head.

"Sorry, he moves around constantly, presumably to keep The Devourer off him, and when I say 'anywhere', I mean 'anywhere on this entire planet.' He'd probably try to meet up with you or another human if he could. The process of sending me letters is very difficult. Supposedly, he writes them on the run and runs by a letterbox and puts it in. The Devourer hasn't found me yet, so I think letters are safe." He said, taking another look in the periscope.

"So…what exactly is The Devourer? What are we dealing with?" Nisbeth asked as Bibarel stalled for a bit.

"…We know very little about it. Serge said that The Watcher of The Skies saw it before from about two and a half thousand years ago and immediately fled the planet as soon as he saw its return. Serge himself is constantly on the run, so we can guess it's stronger than them. Aside from that and knowing it arrived here on some kind of meteorite, we know almost nothing. It must have some access to the psionic plane since Serge refuses to use communication devices. Meowstic, I trust you know about this." He said as I shrugged.

"Look, I can barely use meowstic abilities. I'm really useless here. Really, he should have just summoned Floyd again since he's alive and well in our world, and being a well built policeman, it seems like he'd be suited to this." I said, and unlike everyone else, Bibarel didn't seem surprised at this.

"Serge described him as being too old, though I'm wondering if that was just a cover-up excuse. He's terribly sentimental about him. In a strange way, I don't really understand why. See, while most people here worship him as some kind of higher being, I knew the Floyd that came here just before he prevented time from freezing and dooming this planet and many others." He said as he lowered his voice. "Honestly, while he's probably a good person at heart, I thought he was a bit of an asshole. He was rude, grouchy, and a perpetual complainer."

"Did he come here on his own free will?" I asked as he shrugged.

"According to Serge, he got a small degree of brain damage when he came here and forgot why he chose to come to this world, so in a way, it wasn't willing." He said as I smiled slightly.

"Well, I can totally relate to his struggles then." I said, folding my arms. "Well, this has all been very interesting and-" I was suddenly cut off by the sound of yelling by someone from behind Bibarel, even though I couldn't see anyone.

"Open up! NOW! Quickly! Please Bibarel!" It yelled, as I saw a second metallic tube next to the periscope, which must have acted like some kind of sound funnel. Bibarel immediately pulled on a nearby rope as I heard someone forgo the ladder completely and land loudly on the floor with a loud thud. Three seconds later, the door behind us was flung open as I saw a rather elderly looking exploud standard there, breathing deeply.

"Still moving so fast at your age. What happened?" Bibarel asked, trying to remain calm and orderly.

"It's the human!" He gasped heavily. "You have to come and see!"

"Strength in numbers then. You five, come with us." Bibarel said as we followed him up the ladder.

"I thought the Pale Communion didn't exist here." I said to Exploud as I followed him up the ladder.

"They don't, or at least I don't. Anyway, this seems beyond them." The exploud replied. In a way, I was happy he seemed out of breath since I'm sure he'd be screaming his guts out like any regular exploud would. We moved out as a pack, marching swiftly with Exploud leading the way.

"Ok, what exactly happened?" Bibarel said as we were gestured to keep quiet by Exploud of all people. Seemed like Bidoof trusted his judgement given he seemed to be taking charge, as the rest of us followed suit and ceased our chatter.

"Keep an eye out for a mienshao. If any of you think you can knock it out from behind, don't hesitate" Exploud whispered, looking like he was under a lot of physical stress keeping his voice that low. Looking around in all directions among the bushes and trees, I couldn't see anything that could be a mienshao or hostile.

"What's this mienshao? What did it do?" I whispered as Exploud pointed, looking rather disturbed.

"…That." He said as I saw he was pointing to one of those black statues. I suddenly became fearful of that jet-black inanimate scraggy, as I slowly walked around it to see it's terrified expression. Every one of these statues we saw looked shocked, terrified or both, and I was starting to piece together why that was. Unlike the other two statues, this one seemed to be far more detailed, and I could almost see every pore in its skin if I looked closely enough.

"…That mienshao…did it turn this human into this?" I said as I felt paranoia start to build up within me.

"I think so. All I saw was a sudden flash of what I could only describe as light that was also black, as unnatural as that sound. I heard Neerav scream and when I turned around, I saw a glimpse of a mienshao run away and as for Neerav…that's all that was left of him. I ran back right afterwards to see you Guildmaster." Exploud said as Bibarel inspected the statue.

"Poor Neerav…only fifteen years old as well." Melinda said, sounding subtly furious beneath her sadness as I saw her clench her fists.

"See this, Melinda? See this Bibarel? This is why Serge has to pay for this! This Indian was a prodigy in his field, and had most of his life ahead of him!" I protested, pointing at what remained of Neerav.

"Basil, this is why we have to destroy The Devourer, regardless of how we feel about being taken here against our will. I can't just have Neerav and Danil die and for their deaths to mean nothing." Melinda said as half of us investigated the statue while the others kept watch.

"I wonder if this has something to do with The Devourer?" Nisbeth said as Audrey shook her head.

"Wait, are you suggesting that the mienshao is The Devourer? Doesn't seem likely." She replied.

"Well, no pokemon I've seen can do this to someone. This is clearly some otherworldly power we're dealing with, so it must be The Devourer!" Nisbeth retorted as they began to argue. Regardless whether this had anything to do with our alien foe or not, it was extremely dangerous and should be treated as such.

"I want to go home…" I heard Murphy said next to me as I stood close to him.

"So do I, Murphy, so do I." I said quietly to him.

"You know that feeling when you don't want to do something but you know you have to, even though you'll only end up upsetting people? This is like that, but much, much worse." Murphy said, sighing, and lowering his head.

"Right, this has gone on far enough." I said, keeping my voice down. "When we get a moment with Audrey alone, we'll discuss getting you out of this mess and force her to uphold her end of the deal. If she refuses, then I'll simply refuse to help. This would be full-proof if it weren't for one factor: Melinda. Depends on whether Audrey will be ok with just one human. Alternately, you could just sneak home."

"I dunno. I mean, if The Devourer isn't stopped, there might not even be a home to go back to and…" He said, visibly shaking looking like he was about to cry, being torn between the different pressures pulling him apart from all angles. Poor guy: No one should have to deal with all this, especially not someone as young as him.

"Murphy, I'm here for you. Whatever you want to do from here, I'll help you. If you're staying with us, I'll help make sure you're ok. If you want to leave, I'll help you escape. I'll even help you write an apology to your parents for scaring them like that." I said, moving to stand in front of him.

"Wish I just stayed home…" He said sadly as he sat down on a nearby rock.

"If you stayed at home, I'd be dead by now." I said back to him, smiling slightly. "Still, Melinda's definitely staying on the search for Serge, and I think Nisbeth will too. I've got a tough group with me, so I think I'll be ok. If I were to make a suggestion, I'd recommend going back to Newer Orleans so you can continue with your acting while still being within a reasonable distance from your family. Also, if you change your mind and want to help us again, you're within walking distance of the Excursion Club HQ."

"Well, we are going back there in a couple of days anyway. I'll stay with you guys until then. Just stay with me, ok?" He asked and I was happy to agree.

"Of course Murphy. I dragged you into this _and_ you saved my life. I mean, if I can repay you by just keeping you company, that seems like a gigantic bargain." I replied as he gave me a quick hug.

"Thanks Basil. Even if this hasn't been fun for me, it's at least been memorable." Murphy said. Seemed like this incident completely scared him off the 'stop The Devourer' plan. Seemed like Nisbeth, Murphy and I didn't want anything to do with this, though there was a nagging thought in the back of my mind that wondered if we were just burying our head in the sand about all this. The Devourer would probably want us to return to our old lives and not put up a fight, but in the end, a volunteer is worth ten pressed men. Regardless, I'd be staying with Melinda, even if I would try to be the one to influence her to go along with what I thought was best.

After some more research on the statue and our failed attempts to move it, we returned to the Bibarel Guild and were given a temporary place to stay for the next two nights where we planned to continue working with him to try and discover more about the statues, The Devourer and the possible whereabouts of Serge. Nisbeth hadn't been speaking much at all to anyone, only saying goodnight to me before crashing on his bed. Some of us didn't even get beds, instead getting a pathetic pile of straw to sleep on. These people were clearly more primitive than I thought, or exceptionally tight with money!

With the Neerav incident lodged in my mind, I expected sleep to be a momentous task, but thanks to the poor sleep last night and the well-established security, I felt confident that I wasn't going to get ambushed in my sleep, but would I ever feel safe or relaxed with a pokemon like that carrying a strange and terrible power? While I trusted the abilities of everyone around me, it seemed like everyone was wanting something different in life, and for the first time, I didn't feel like the most likely person to bail on the mission.


	17. Roll The Bones

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 17: Roll The Bones

Unlike most nights, I woke up before my sister, probably because I was catching constant gusts of wind all night thanks to that sorry excuse for a window next to me. I gently woke her up as I heard the sound of footsteps in every direction just outside of our door. I guess it was time to get a move on and see what I have to kowtow to next.

"Wonder what they're discussing..." Melinda said, seeing Bibarel and Audrey speaking to each other in the opposite end of the hall. Naturally, there was a good chance they were speaking about us, given otherworldly people were in demand right now. Walking up to them, they noticed us and both gave us friendly smiles.

"Ah, hello you two! We were wanting to speak to you both about what's going to happen today." Audrey said, still sounding friendly.

"Obviously, it's not safe to leave Treasure Town without at least three of us escorting you. Clearly, one wasn't enough to protect Neerav. In fact, I wouldn't consider anywhere safe, but on the other hand, there's no use in keeping the two of you locked up here. From what Serge has told me, meeting up with us here would just lead The Devourer right to us, and dead humans are no use to Serge." He said as I grunted slightly.

"Trying to get into his way of thinking?" I said somewhat bitterly.

"Well, it helps me figure out what he might do next. Also, good to see a couple of humans that can speak our language. The human we had spoke in words that didn't belong to anywhere at all in this planet, and it was only because of that and his actions making look horribly inexperienced and out-of-place that we were able to figure out he was a human." Bibarel said, thinking for a while. "I'll be putting an investigation team to see if there's anything different about the black statue or to see if there's anything more we can learn from it. As for you two, I'd recommend some combat training at the local dojo. I'll have Exploud and Murphy go with you, if that's ok with Audrey."

"...Yeah, that'll be fine." She said, thinking about it. "I think Nisbeth would be more useful investigating anyway."

"You can explore the town with them afterwards, just as long as you stay to the crowded segments and not go off exploring to anywhere too isolated. Huh, that's just like what Chatot told me when I joined the guild." Bibarel said, chuckling to himself slightly. "In fact, you can help by putting up these wanted posters for the mienshao."

"'The Bibarel Guild warns you that he has the power to turn people into the mysterious black statues you've heard about, and is not responsible if this happens to you. Approach with extreme caution. If you have any information, please contact the Bibarel Guild.' How grim." Melinda said, reading the wanted notice.

"The statues only appear in the countryside from all over the world, so this mienshao, or anyone else who has this terrible power, is clearly only attacking mostly isolated targets. Stay close to one-another and you should be safe, but be ready to flee or all attack together at a moment's notice if the worst comes to the worst." Bibarel said as he called Exploud and Murphy over.

"I was wanting to speak to Audrey about something..." Murphy said, running over.

"Of course." Audrey said, looking as Murphy with concern.

"I think I want to leave." Murphy said bluntly, looking like he had very little sleep the night before. "I don't think I can do all this. I'm only good at acting, and even then, I could be better. I reckon there'll be someone much better than I am for this."

"Nonsense Murphy, you're wonderful at this! Don't you want to help destroy The Devourer?" Audrey asked.

"Honestly, I kind of wish I could forget all of this." He replied, sounding a little miserable.

"Hardly got the most motivated crew with you Audrey." Bibarel said, frowning slightly.

"Hey, I didn't expect them to get cold feet here! I could tell that Melinda's brother wasn't really into it, but I honestly didn't expect this from Nisbeth and Murphy." Audrey said, seemingly ignoring that most of us were standing right next to her.

"You kind of lured them in with promises of casual adventure and theatre connections, them wham! 'Sorry, you can't do those things, you gotta help us kick this alien off this planet!' Yeah, I'd be pretty annoyed too." I said, frowning at her as she sighed at me as the jaw on her head snapped a couple of times.

"Basil, I'm trying to be nice and friendly despite the circumstances. Please, stop making it harder than it needs to be." She replied, her eyes narrowing at me slightly. "It's not like we chose for The Devourer to come here."

"It just feels like I'm being pushed around by everything and everyone right now, and all things considered, I'm no closer to finding Serge." I said, still feeling in a huff.

"And that is why I told him to only summon humans who were completely willing to help us..." Bibarel muttered under his breath. "Just please go along with us you two; it's in your best interest."

"I'll decide what's in my best interest, but I'll play along for now." I said as Bibarel continued to mutter things about Serge getting the wrong people under his breath.

"...How long have you guys been arguing for?" I heard Exploud say from behind loudly.

"Right, Exploud, take these three around town to put up these wanted notices, then spend five hours in the dojo. We want these humans to be as tough as possible so they don't get taken out as easily as Neerav did." Bibarel said, wanting to get things sorted out quickly.

"Sure thing boss." Exploud replied, and wasting no time, we were lead away. We left the guild behind us and walked down the flight of stairs and into town. It looked even goofier than it did from the top of the hill, as I found it hard not to laugh at all the egotistical buildings. Regardless, I couldn't afford to laugh out loud too much if I didn't want to draw attention to myself. Even Melinda was clearly finding their architecture quite laughable as I saw her mouth shudder and waver in the same way where she tried to hide laughter as a human.

The locals around us spoke with a more familiar accent that seemed to resemble the way English people spoke after living in France for several years, which made the place seem a little less foreign and more comforting to me compared with State Broussard, not to mention the weather was somewhat cooler, the thick layer of clouds shielding us from the sun's wrath above us. Putting up wanted posters on shop windows and lamp posts was oddly relaxing, and would have helped take my mind off things if it weren't for the artists impression of the mienshao on the cover of them. It was too early to tell, but that pokemon must have something to do with The Devourer.

"Hey, Basil, what does this remind you of?" Melinda said with a cheeky smile on her face as she held the bone in her hand tightly before rolling it across the ground.

"Yeah, yeah, Roll The Bones, very funny." I said, smiling slightly as she went to pick it up.

"So, it's been a long time since you did 'the rap.' Wanna do it for old time's sake?" She said as I rolled my eyes and groaned, trying to hide my smile. "Go on Basil, go on! Nobody here cares about these things from what Bibarel told me." She continued, playfully nudging me in the side.

"Oh, fine then...ahem... _Jack. Relax. Get busy with the facts. No zodiacs, no..._ " I said, trying to recite the whole gloriously cheesy and out-of-place rap segment in the Rush song, but sadly, my memory failed me in the second half as I trailed off. "Mel', you have a skull for a head and a bone as a weapon: You're way more suited for this than I am!" I said, laughing playfully, and feeling happier that the other two were out of earshot.

"Well, it's a lot more fun to watch someone do the rap than saying it yourself." She said before calming down a bit. "Seriously though Basil, I'd probably be as grouchy as you are about this if you weren't here. I mean, obviously, I wish you were home so you'd be safe from all this, but at the same time, I'm glad your with me."

"Trust me Mel', I think you're the only reason why I haven't gone crazy in this mad world. Regardless, if we get through this, then this will be a conversation piece for the rest of our days, so I in the end, I can't really hate this too much." I said, pinning up a wanted poster.

"Well, like you always said when training me, you can only do the best with the cards you're dealt with. On that note..." She said and cleared her throat. " _Why are we here? Because we're here. Roll the bones!"_

" _Why does it happen? Because it happens. Roll the bones!"_ I replied, joining in on the sing-along, only to see Exploud and Murphy look at us as if we just escaped an insane asylum.

"...Is that a human thing?" Murphy said flatly and quietly with the most neutral possible facial expression.

"You think that's weird? Look around you! Now that's bizarre!" I said, with a cheesy grin still plastered on my face as I gestured towards the buildings, though I was careful to keep my voice down.

"...Good point." Murphy said as Exploud sighed and shook his head.

"We get that a lot from foreigners. Anyway, dojo's this way." Exploud half shouted and lead us there. Passing by a newspaper stand, I asked the others to hold up for a moment as I read the title.

"' _Michael Rutherford forced into hiding after some Pale Communion members attempted to assassinate him while making a speech in Syrinx. Two law enforces and three Pale Communion members were killed in the attempt, with seven more with severe injuries. Mr Rutherford has confirmed that he will be continuing his work, but will no longer be making public appearances.'_ " I read out loud, not really caring about how annoyed the vendor was about me not buying the newspaper.

"Hold on, the Syrinx mayor is a human?" I said, pointing to a picture of an emboar on the front cover.

"Pretty common knowledge." Exploud said, scratching his head. "Been here for the last fifteen years and helped transform New Australia from a lawless continent that was falling apart at the seams to the envy of the entire world. He's the only human to have ever come here twice, since he was also the one who founded civilization there in the first place. According to him, he screwed up the first time, so he came back to put things right and decided to stay. Oddly enough, he retained his human body the first time he was here, yet not upon his return."

"...Then, with all due respect to our kidnapper, why the fuck didn't he just ask him?!" I said angrily, having to stop myself from shouting. "Sorry, it's not your fault this happened."

"I remember Bibarel saying that if Serge forced Mr Rutherford to take part in this, then he'd have to abandon his post, and given the natives there are almost as crazy about humans as the people here, the entire continent could descend into anarchy. It was anarchy before he returned, so I get why Serge left him alone." Exploud responded. Well, I can understand the reasoning, it still sickened me: At least this human had something to lose from this conflict, whereas the rest of us did not.

"Michael Rutherford eh? I take it he's not _that_ Michael Rutherford, right? Y'know, from Genesis." Melinda said to me as I thought about it briefly.

"Nah, it can't be. He died fifteen years ago, and there was no point in time where the news reported him missing. Besides, he's English, not Australian." I said, though the idea itself was pretty amusing.

"Shame, would have loved to meet him." Melinda said, chuckling to herself.

"Hey Exploud, you're pretty old to be an explorer." Murphy piped up suddenly.

"I tried retiring once. Almost went insane after a month, so I decided that I would die an explorer, regardless of how stupid it seems." He said simply as I noticed a large building to my right with the top side of it being in the style of the many statues of Floyd I saw across the street corners.

"Is that some kind of church of Floyd?" I asked as Exploud nodded slightly.

"Humans in general to be more precise, but Floyd's obviously the most prolific of them. The church always seemed to be a weirdo club. We try to tell them what Floyd was really like, but they're having none of it. There's a service on this evening, so check it out if your curious, but I'd keep your identity to yourself. There's always some person claiming to be human to try and exploit them, but they've wizened up to their tricks by now." He explained as I looked at the church carefully as we walked by. If I could somehow prove I'm human, I could perhaps get a lot more assistance with my time on this planet...

"Anyway, here we are." Exploud said, as we stood in front of the dojo, clearly run by a marowak. Well, I guess Melinda could get some good advice, though given I still couldn't get the basics down, I was questioning how much use I was going to get from this. I walked inside behind the others and saw that the building was made almost entirely of furnished wood. The marowak who was most likely the owner looked even older than Exploud looked at us and welcomed us in.

"Ah, I take it you're all from the Bibarel guild." He said as he stopped scrubbing the floor. Like Melinda, he also looked like an alien to me, being considerably darker in colour and having the strange dark patch on his forehead.

"Well, just me, but these three are with us for the time being, so Bibarel will pay you." Exploud explained as the marowak smiled.

"Good, good. Well, I know I can personally help her out. Handy being the same species. For these three, I'll quickly have them fill in a form so we can put you into the correct group." He said as I was quickly handed one.

"Let's see, 'beginner, adequate, adept, expert...'" I read out loud before filling my own option: 'Complete no-nothing novice.'

"Well...Meowstic, did you completely skimp on training your abilities as a child _and_ a teenager?" The marowak said, looking a bit worried as he looked over my details as I ranked myself as a zero out of ten in every area. "You said here that you had no physical disabilities either...well, I'm sure Alakazam can help you somehow."

"Never needed to until now, so I never bothered." I said, shrugging as I was lead into a different room. In spite of his species in general looking elderly, this alakazam looked very recently evolved, and shockingly young for his evolution stage. In fact, he didn't even older than I was.

"Oh hey there! I'll have a look at that little guy!" He said, sounding as lazy as he did cheerful as he took the form from my hands via telekinesis and read it. "...Huh. So you still haven't made any real progress with the absolute basics, huh? Well, unless you're even lazier than I am, I'm gonna teach you a technique you can use to really lay in a super-nasty headache to stun anyone that comes at you. Now at your level, you probably just want to run after that, but hey, it could save your life. It's so, so simple that even you could learn it in the space of a few hours, and that's with me helping out the other two here."

"Does it involve briefly scrambling your opponents mind with a telekinetic jolt to the brain?" I asked as he smiled and nodded, recognizing the technique as being confusion, in professional battling terms.

"Someone knows their basic theory!" He said, looking impressed as he brushed his moustache.

"Trust me, if they put down general battle theory and knowledge in the categories, I'd have ranked myself a ten." I said, not being shy to tell this stranger that I at least excelled in one area.

"Woah, we have a clever-clogs here! Now, I'm gonna be the test dummy for this. No, you don't have to worry about hurting me, but if you're lying about your ability just to whack me with something hard, I'm gonna be upset!" He said, laughing to himself. "Right, try going into the psionic plane. Can you do that for me?"

"Yeah, figured out how to do that a few weeks ago." I said, telling him a half-truth as I tried to feel around for his brain, which I was having a lot of difficulty doing since it was protected by a skull.

"Now, you don't need to actually try and find the brain, just as long as you know it's just behind my eyes. Trying to get a good grip on something on the inside of a body is insanely hard: Not even I can do it. If it were common amongst people like us, we'd have probably taken over the world by now by ripping apart people from the inside." The alakazam said, things suddenly taking a dark turn.

"Megalomania aside, what do I need to do?" I asked, trying to keep focused, which was easier said than done.

"Can you move even the tiniest thing with you mind?" He asked as I nodded.

"As long as it's super tiny, yes." I said, thinking back to how I was able to detonate the explosive powder in the wood-grain of the weapon.

"Well, it's a similar principle here. All you gotta do is to suddenly reach forward to where you think my brain is and give it a shake. It barely moves the brain at all-" He was explaining, but I felt like finishing it for him.

"-But even the slightest shake can mess with bodily functions for a few seconds. I know what to do: it's doing it that's hard." I said, trying to suddenly push forward and giving things a violent shake. From the looks of things, nothing happened.

"Hrm, I think I noticed something just in front of my head. You're misjudging the distance." He told me as I tried again and again and again. Judging how far forward I needed to project this was very difficult because of the skull, which felt a hundred times thicker than the protective wrappings that I used on the weapon. To think that during a combat situation, I'd have to be able to do this with a moving target!

"Further forward...further...you need to push it further buddy or it won't do anything." He said as I struggled to generate enough force to get inside of his head. Eventually, I grew so frustrated I just forced the sudden jolt of movement as far forward as I could and just hoped for the best, going with raw force over any form of accuracy. Judging from the alakazam staggering briefly, it seemed to have worked, though I was starting to get a headache of my own from all the strain it took me to pull that off.

"Well, you finally hit...someone standing dead still. It's a start though, so feel free to take a short break while I help with this drowzee here." He said as I sat down on a stool and massaged my aching head. Well, it was progress at least, and something else to add to my repertoire of self defence. Sure, it was vastly inferior to using the weapon, but there may be a time where I can't use the weapon for some reason, or if I run out of ammunition. At least maybe now I wouldn't be totally defenceless without it. Still, most espurrs could pull off a confusion at the age of two, so I suppose it wasn't exactly anything to brag about.

Of course, I was doing all of this with my ears down. Only the best trained meowstics of either gender could keep them up for more then fifteen minutes at a time without them 'exploding', but I wondered how long I could do it for once I got a better feel for these kind of abilities. It might make pulling off a confusion a lot easier if I could snap them open for just a few seconds. Male meowstics were rather unpopular to use in professional battling compared to their female counterparts due to how their brains were wired. They simply weren't that cut out for blasting foes into submission, but had an impressive repertoire for doing pretty much anything else with their abilities. Perhaps if I become good enough, I could use them to back up my friends with psionic walls among other things.

"Feeling better?" The alakazam said, walking up to me as I pushed myself off the stool.

"Mostly." I said, steadying myself in preparation for the next lesson. "Any advice about opening these things up? All I do is just get blasted back ten seconds after I try to open them."

"I'll be honest little dude, you're best speaking to a meowstic about that. Though you could try if you close them quickly afterwards. It'll be something you should learn eventually if you live outside New Australia, and judging by your voice, you don't sound like you've ever been there in your life." He replied as I thought about it for a moment.

"Is that an invitation?" I asked as I put my hands on my ears gently.

"If you want. Trust me; I can take a real beating." The alakazam said as I smile nervously.

"Here it comes..." I muttered as I forced my ears open as my vision dilated heavily as I was able to see the psionic plane and everything that it was made up of. I felt my body stagger due to the energy coursing through it, so I had to make this quick. Thinking back to the techniques I learned I carefully used my right arm to aim just in front of his head and suddenly blip the targeted area forward and give it a sudden jerk of motion. Immediately afterwards, I jammed my ears shut and fell to my knees, feeling like I was about to blow up, though, thankfully, my body and mind calmed down.

"Nice shot there dude...ugh..." Alakazam said, looking very disorientated. I couldn't exactly say this was inhumane given Melinda's career which I fully supported however, so I was perfectly fine doing this to him. "Right, I think I want some revenge for that!"

"Wait, this wasn't part of the lesson!" I said as I saw the alakazam laugh with his long moustache bouncing.

"Oh it was! Don't worry, I'm not going to cause you any real pain. You won't feel any if you do this right!" He said grinning widely as he lifted up a bunch of very small stones in front of him with telekinesis and held them above his head.

"You're not going to chuck them at me, right?" I asked nervously taking a step back.

"Duh! What else did you expect? The idea is that you'd block them with a psychic barrier." He said as I stared at him blankly.

"...No idea how to do that. Look, I don't learn well under this sink-or-swim teaching." I said, trying to calm down. "You need to tell me how to make them for me to stand a chance."

"Ok, ok, fine...boring stuck-up...anyway feel for the area about twenty cementers in front of you." He told me, and I was actually able to do this part without much trouble. Seems like I had gotten somewhat competent at being able to pinpoint an area in my surroundings, so maybe I didn't suck so badly at this after all!

"Right, this will be hard to describe if you can't see the psionic plane right now, but if you can see it with your ears up, then this should be fine...see how your vision is covered by wavy pale turquoise strands, right? Well, for an area in front of you, you want to stretch them out so that they're dead straight. How this works is that the stronger you can hold them straight, the stronger the barrier. Naturally, you need to be stupidly powerful if you want to stop an aggron charging at you, but, well, that's what running away is for, isn't it." He said, laughing to himself as I tried to feel for those threads.

"This is hard..." I said, deciding to open my ears up for just a moment to take a peek. A second was all it took as I was able to feel the threads of the psionic plane, so I snapped them shut again immediately. Feeling a few of them in front of me I tugged on them tightly and felt them straighten as I saw a slight glimmer of light in front of my face.

"I think I've got it." I said as alakazam gently lobbed a little stone at me. I held them tightly with my mind, but when the stone collided I felt the strands slip from my grasp as the stone landed on my foot, thankfully causing me to real pain.

"Well, better than nothing. If that barrier wasn't there, it'd have hit you in the face. See, you're not so bad at this: Just needed someone to show you the way." He said as I smiled slightly. "A tip though: if you suddenly tense them when the stone's about to collide, it'll make it far more effective."

"Let's give it a try then." I said as I watched the stone he threw at me very carefully and suddenly pulled tightly with all of my mental strength just as it was about to hit. I smiled broadly when the next thing I saw was the stone land harmlessly in front of me.

"Keep all this up, and you'll catch up with your peers in about a few months!" The alakazam said, encouraging me on as I blocked the next stone. "Now, I'll make things more complex." He continued, grinning as he lobbed one at a strange angle, forcing me to turn around and block it from the right, though I was unable to put up a barrier in time as it hit me on the forehead.

"Ow!" I said, rubbing my head as I saw the alakazam clearly get some kind of enjoyment from it. It was like this guy got enjoyment out of everything in life, and I must admit, I was rather jealous of that. For the rest of the training, I was able to get a little better at my barriers and my confusions, though unless I get much better, I'd probably still be relying on the weapon. I heard a small explosion from next door causing everyone in the room to jump in shock before I heard Melinda yell apology after apology.

"Oh no, please say you're ok!" I heard her yell as I ran to the room next door as she tried to help up the dojo owner. "Sorry, thought I'd try something new, I didn't expect that to happen!" She continued, as she struggled to get him to his feet. He didn't look horribly injured, but hardly looked in a state to be training any of his students for several days with a really nasty looking burn that covered almost all of his torso. I was amazed how well it showed up on his dark body, and I can't help but wonder exactly what Melinda done to him to cause that.

"I...I'm not sure whether I should be angry or proud..." He said weakly as Melinda helped him walk very slowly toward us. "How did you do that?"

"I could explain some other time, you should get someone to treat you." Melinda said, and right on queue, a blissey came waddling quickly towards us and took him through to the medical room.

"Well...that's why I fire-proofed that room." He said in a croaky voice, smiling slightly as he was helped inside.

"...Mel'...?" I asked as she put her hands on her forehead.

"I thought I'd try some experimental technique that I just thought up right there and then and...well, it worked far too well." Melinda said, her voice wavering as she seemed to be consumed by guilt.

"Ah, he'll be fine with a couple of days rest." I said, trying to relax her.

"Still two days I ruined for him." She replied, still evidently feeling terrible about it. "I bed-bound a sixty-something year old Basil!"

"It was an accident Mel', he surely understands that, and also knows of the risks of doing such a thing. It's like back home when we're training your team: sometimes, shit like this happens. Can't get too hung up about it you know. Just move on and save that technique when we find someone who actually wants us dead." I said, trying to get her to think straight about this.

"...I suppose..." She said as Murphy ran over to join us. Something I noticed about him that honestly just occurred to me is that he always ran everywhere he went unless he was walking with someone. Natural for a heliolisk really, so I shouldn't be surprised.

"I didn't like that very much..." He said, and it was at this moment where I realised that I, of all people, enjoyed combat training the most out of the three of us. Never thought I'd see that day. "My tutor kept saying that I was very good and nigh impossible to land an attack on, but I just wasn't feeling it."

"It's like when I was doing maths in school." Melinda said to him. "I could get As easily with barely any studying, but I just hated doing it. My parents weren't too happy when I decided to get into...well, my human career back home, but I made it work out."

"I just want to go home now, I'm sick of this!" Murphy said fairly loudly, which had me looking over my shoulder to see if people were listening in on us. "All I want to do is to entertain people and make them happy, but everyone just seems to want me to scare others and them beat them up! I didn't run away from home for this..."

"Murphy, after we go back to Broussard together, I'm going to give you a real big helping hand in what you want to do, be that stay in Newer Orleans or just go home to your family; I promise." I said, but, surprisingly, Melinda didn't seem to agree.

"What about The Devourer though? We need all the help we can get to stop-" She said until Murphy snapped at her.

"You're just like Audrey and the others!" He shouted before storming off.

"Murphy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that!" Melinda yelled, trying to catch up with him, but there were very few who could keep up with a sprinting heliolisk, so she gave up pretty quickly.

"When I spoke to him before we left for Conviction, he seemed to be pretty on board with all this..." Melinda said, looking upset at how things turned out.

"The young guy's been through a lot lately, he probably doesn't really know what he wants to do with himself right now. That's why I want him to just return to whatever made him happy: Besides, I kind of pushed him into this mess in the first place. Just think of the cavalcade of shit that has happened to him over the past couple of weeks: He befriended an alien, left home, started acting, got roped into the Excursion Club, learned about The Devourer and is now in a foreign continent. We're not the only ones to have our lives drastically changed." I said, though Melinda was less sympathetic than I imagined.

"The Devourer is threatening the entire planet Basil, and we need all the help we can get." She said as I scowled slightly. "Oh don't give me that look: you know he's just burying his head in the sand, and you're only encouraging him to do so."

"Mel', if that's what you truly believe, then go find him and talk him out of what I said. Go on! He's not stupid, so he won't leave Treasure Town, and this place is a lot smaller than Newer Orleans, so you shouldn't have too much difficulty finding him." I said haughtily, still frowning at my sister. "Kind of rich how you cared so much when you accidentally caused the dojo owner an injury or all the times you needlessly fretted what happened to your opponents pokemon, but not about what's going on with Murphy."

"Because, unlike those examples you mentioned, we're not dealing with an alien that could end everything on this planet!" She said, snarling slightly at me which seemed a little scary given she was a lot taller than me now. "The stakes are far higher here, and we can't let stuff like that get in the way."

"Then you should congratulate yourself for finding a way to wound the dojo owner that badly if you go with that kind of logic! Just think what you could do to our enemies if only you found a way to permanently cripple him! Why don't you...well, if you think talking him into staying with us so we can find a way to find Serge, then, well, do what you think is right. Final word ends with Murphy on whether he leaves or stays." I said, calming down. As much as I loved my sister, we argued a lot, and it seems like our new bodies hadn't changed a thing in that regard.

"I should tell Exploud what happened. Besides, we should stay as a group, so hopefully Murphy will be safe." Melinda said and saw Exploud wandering around, looking for someone.

"Trying to find the dojo owner? There was a...training accident. He's in the medical room." I said to him.

"It happens sometimes. Anyway, know where Murphy is?" Exploud asked as we answered honestly.

"Ah, he should be fine. Still, let's look for him." Exploud said as we left the dojo. Surprisingly, we found him within a mere three minutes as he just stood there drinking a bottle of water by himself.

"Oh, hello. Sorry for running off like that." Murphy said, still sounding a little down over the argument he had with Melinda.

"Well, now that we're all together, shall we quickly check in with the rest of the guild? Won't take too long, and you can have the rest of the afternoon and early evening to yourself." Exploud told us as we walked back to the silly looking headquarters and found the rest inside discussing their findings.

"I swore I saw the mienshao. It seems to be keeping an eye on us, almost as if it was hovering around the outskirts of Treasure Town." Nisbeth said to Bibarel and a couple of other guild members. "It ran away super fast as soon as I caught a glimpse of him, and I never saw him again."

"Well, it's a good thing we always kept together as a group." Bibarel said as he noticed our arrival. "I hope your training went well. Sadly, Neerav wasn't cut out for being a pokemon at all, no matter how much time we sent him there."

"Actually went quite well for me." I said, not bringing up anything else that happened. "Anything else you found?"

"Not much I'm afraid. The statue itself seemed to be less defined, as if it was done by a less experienced sculptor. Nisbeth said he saw the mienshao briefly, but that was about it. The statue was still utterly unmovable, and we couldn't scratch it or leave any kind of mark on it at all." He said as I started thinking of possible ideas.

"Any responses to the wanted posters we've been putting up?" I asked as he shook his head.

"We had to be honest, but I think this mienshao's mysterious power has scared everyone off looking for them." Bibarel replied as I thought about things a bit further.

"Say, how did you find Neerav anyway? Did he just appear on your doorstep?" I asked.

"I first saw him when he was trying to speak with the high priest of the human church, an old blastoise, when they were walking into town. We don't get along very well since I've said that Floyd wasn't the perfect saviour that everyone thinks he is. Anyway, he said he found him a mile outside of town, and was just taking him in there so he'd be safe and had no intentions of actually looking after him, so I offered to take him off his hands. After a while, I put together that he was a human! What a stroke of luck!" He replied as I started wondering what would have happened if the priest figured out that Neerav was a human.

"Now, in the human world, we have so many more languages than this world does. Does the church know about this?" I asked as Bibarel shrugged.

"There's probably a copy of their book of Floyd or whatever those nutters call their book in the library somewhere." Bibarel said as I went there right away.

"Hey Basil, are you heading anywhere with this?" Nisbeth said from behind when I was busy searching through the books, causing me to jump in surprise.

"Tell no one about this, ok?" I said, looking at him with narrow, serious eyes.

"Well, sure then...fine, I promise." He said as I grinned slightly.

"Well, Bibarel said there was no response from the wanted notices. Sure, they've not been up for long, but you'd think someone would have responded by now, even if it's just to put forward information. It's clear that they're scared of this mienshao and what he can do, and I can't exactly blame them. Therefore, I'm planning to see if I can get a more...devoted group to hunt him down." I said, smiling rather wickedly as I began to think of my scheme.

"...I don't follow." Nisbeth said as I tapped him smugly on the arm, given I was unable to reach his shoulder.

"Well, the Pale Communion was good for one thing: It reminded me that it's far better to be on the side of a big crowd than all alone when a witch hunt is taking place." I said as it clicked within Nisbeth's head.

"Oh...oh that's good! I don't think anyone else will be happy with that though, so your secret's safe with me. I'm not gonna help you with that though, since it seems a bit...well, manipulative." He replied, showing both admiration and concern.

"That's kind of the idea." I said, grinning at him. "The mienshao's probably fast, but I'm sure there'll be faster pokemon that will be attending that large church tonight. Regardless, I don't think it'll work if they don't know that Indian is a language that's only spoken in the human world: It'd then make a lot of sense to the priest that the scraggy he saw was speaking gibberish to him." I said as I continued looking for the book. After a few irritating minutes, I was able to find it with the helpfully appropriate title 'The Church of Mankind.'

Scanning through the pages, I searched for mentions of language or anything that might help give evidence that Neerav was a human to these people. I snickered to myself whilst reading through all the bullshit praise and adoration they gave my kind, which almost made the read worthwhile, and eventually, I was able to find some words from Serge who had supposedly visited the human world to meet with Floyd briefly thirty years ago. Again, his supposed experiences were bullshit, but given that Serge saw nothing wrong with summoning some of us without permission and getting many of my kind killed in the process, I wondered how much of this was fabricated by the church. After half an hour of reading, I eventually found it, causing me to leap almost a foot in the air in joy.

' _The humans came from countless different ways of life, each as incredible as the last, speaking in many different tongues and came in many different sizes, shapes and colours.'_ It didn't matter how false any of this actually was: I had the 'evidence' right here! It simply must not have occurred to the high priest at the time! All I'd have to do now is tell him, and hopefully let the priest do the rest of the work for me! Maybe this mienshao will be forced to give answers. Even if he doesn't know where Serge is, I'm sure that there'd be at least something useful he could tell us. Finally, after all the shit that life has thrown at me in the last three weeks or so, luck was finally on my side!

After quickly telling Bibarel that I was heading out for a couple of hours, he informed me that it should be safe as long as I'm back before nine since the streets were usually still busy until then. Leaving alone, I made my way quickly towards the church, dodging between the pokemon walking around. Maybe if I was quick, I could catch the priest before he gives the service, I could tell him about this and cause a big change in his script.

Arriving just outside the church, I started looking around for the blastoise. The service hasn't stared yet, and peering through the windows, I couldn't find anyone inside. Must be really early then, which suited me fine. The inside was fairly lavish, with paintings of humans on every wall, some depictions more accurate than others. One of them even had a long tail, another with hair over every single part of her body.

"Hello, are you curious about what's inside?" I heard someone say to me from behind. Just who I was looking for! Unless it was some other blastoise that I saw.

"H-hello! Are you the priest by any chance?" I asked, smiling at him.

"Why, yes I am! Come to learn about the history and greatness of the humans that elevated us from our animalistic roots and continue to watch over and protect us?" He asked as I nodded eagerly.

"Yes, yes I have! Although, I think I've made an important discovery." I said as I noticed him sigh.

"If someone claims to be a human, they're probably lying. Trust me, we've had many, many individuals claim to be human to try and exploit us, and we're all sick of it." He said, sounding like he's heard this song and dance before. Seemed like he'd be a tough nut to crack, but I wasn't going to give up that easily.

"I've never met this person, but after speaking to Bibarel about him, I think I've figured out that he's a human!" I said excitedly as he rolled his eyes.

"Don't trust Bibarel: He was one of the few extraordinarily lucky ones to have ever met The Sound of Perseverance yet is well known in Treasure Town for denying his divinity." He said, sounding like he was losing patience.

"Please, just hear me out. It's a scraggy that Bibarel said you were taking to Treasure Town. Can't have been that long ago." I said as he thought back to the time.

"...Go on..." He said slowly as I continued.

"Well, Bibarel said he was speaking gibberish and claimed he was very poorly adjusted to life in general. Sound familiar at all?" I said as the blastoise paused for a moment to think about it.

"Yes, but that hardly proves he was a human." He said as I suggested to open up the Church of Mankind book to the correct page.

"Look here: The Guardian of Forever, who went to the human world says they spoke in many different tongues! What if it was not gibberish, but a language that is only spoken in the human world? It would also explain how he was not well adjusted to life here." I said as he paced around the church grounds for a while.

"I did hear of the rumours that The Guardian of Forever was bringing humans into this world. If all this is true, then this will surely only be slowly incurring the wrath of the humans over time if he is bringing them unwillingly. They may be wise beyond measure, but they were never stated to be particularly impressive physically. I cannot imagine they will be willing to protect us after such transgressions against their kind." He said, and I began to really like the way he was thinking. "Putting all this together would normally seem like a huge stretch, but it all adds up and makes sense..."

"The humans are indeed not safe here. The Pale Communion has been active outside of this continent, and I have heard they have been murdering people they believe are humans. That is not all, however. Did you hear what happened to Neerav, the scraggy who I believe to be a human?" I asked as he gasped slightly.

"The wanted posters! They say that he was turned into one of those black statues that I've heard about!" He said, his eyes widening.

"Consider this: What would The Sound of Perseverance do if he was still with us?" I said, feeling like I had started to crack him. "Do you think the humans would still watch over is if we did nothing to help protect the ones The Guardian of Forever brought here?"

"…What exactly are you trying to get at here?" He said, suddenly eyeing me with suspicion.

"Look, I've been really shy about attending the services. I learned all this by reading that book in my spare time before I went to work for Bibarel, but when I heard from him that some gibberish speaking scraggy was turned into one of those black statues by a mienshao, I started doing my own research and investigation, and all I'm saying is that this gibberish could be a human language, and that Floyd, or The Sound of Perseverance, whether that scraggy was a human or not, wouldn't stand for it. He'd get out there and do something about it." I said, hoping he'd listen to me.

"Hrm…I'll bring this up with some of the frequent attendees to see what they think." He said, clearly not wanting to jump to a rash decision. I respected that really, though I was still hoping they'd see things the way I wanted. Shortly, a few pokemon started walking into the church grounds from behind and was let in by the blastoise, who told me to wait outside. I didn't want to be seen peeping in since it would likely arouse suspicion, but I was able to listen through the walls slightly, since they weren't very will built.

"…So you really think that scraggy could have been a human?" I heard someone say, followed by a whole bunch of statements and rhetorical questions by a bunch of other strangers.

"Impossible: that meowstic is probably putting you up to something."

"I doubt it. If he was just trying to do something for his own ends, why would be bother trying to convince us a dead teenager was a human? What would he stand to gain from it?"

"Maybe he's just misguided. I mean, he has been hanging around with Bibarel, so he's probably been influenced by that heretic."

"Or, what if he was right? Like you said, we can hardly expect the humans to look after us if we don't lift a finger to help some individuals in need. The risk is not to take action: the risk is doing nothing."

"Enough!" The blastoise priest announced. "We must come to a decision before the others arrive: Will the church work together in finding this mienshao, or will we leave it to the Bibarel Guild."

"We're not law enforcement, and we're not a militant organization. We should not become vigilantes over a wild rumour."

"Even if the scraggy was not a human, sitting back and doing nothing isn't what Floyd would have wanted. Didn't it state that he wanted us pokemon to follow his example? Really, we should be encouraging the churches in Broussard and Fremdesland to really start taking it to those Pale Communion bastards!"

"We all know that's illegal, and could even get someone killed! Also, we refer to him as The Sound of Perseverance."

"You should know that we follow something higher than local laws, and when there are pokemon out there murdering each other, the greatest crime would be to stand back and do nothing."

"All I'm saying is that we should follow Floyd's example, and we can also call him by his name. I heard from people who knew him that he insisted on being called 'Floyd' when he was still around."

"Well, among your bickering, I've come to a decision." I heard the blastoise say loudly over the others. "We will bring this up with the others, and they can act as they see fit. As far as I'm concerned, Persian's right: we can't do nothing. Even if only a quarter of us go, that's still way more of us than the whole Bibarel guild. I never liked Bibarel very much, but if there's a common cause, I'm sure he'll appreciate out help."

"This'll get us shut down…" I heard someone mutter quietly, straining my hearing as I heard the pokemon walk out of the door.

"Well, that's one who simply couldn't walk in Floyd's sacred path. Well, time to let the others in." The blastoise said as I carefully made my way into the gathering crowd without being seen by those inside the building and followed them inside. The pews had some very amateur carvings into them, and I couldn't tell what they were even supposed to represent, and they seemed to be solely made for smaller pokemon, such as myself. The larger ones just sat in position, and it became clear that it they were designed so no one's view would be blocked. There were bookshelves on either side of the audience, and I assumed they must have contained documents of human appearances.

"Greetings all, and welcome to tonight's service." The blastoise said, standing tall and firm as I saw the pokemon he was discussing my ideas with all sitting in the front. "This service will be very different from the others, since this will not be a service of praise and adoration, but one of action." Craning my head to the left to look past the disgusting swalot in front of me, I could see some of the pokemon on the front row looking very excited, alongside a couple that gave of a sense of dread.

"Some of you may have heard of the lost gibberish-speaking scraggy I found. After some introspection and my discovery that he had been turned into a black statue as many of you probably know from glancing at the wanted posters, I believe that scraggy was, in fact, a human." He announced, and, as I predicted, the entire building erupted into chaotic chatter. I couldn't make out what anyone was saying since everyone kept drowning each other out, but I still sat there steadily, trying to hide my smug grin.

"SILENCE!" The blastoise suddenly bellowed and started listing off all the evidence I gave him carefully, putting up the best arguments he could. Now, these people would probably ignore me, but to have such an influential person effectively speak on my behalf here. Now, if this all follows through, I'd be able to wring some answers from that mienshao, or at the very least make this world that little bit safer for me and my friends. Perhaps this new active attitude from the church could spread beyond this continent, driving the Pale Communion even further underground, making the world safer for any other humans out there. Yet, Melinda and the others probably wouldn't be happy at what I'm doing right now, but maybe she wouldn't have to find out.

"The Sound of Perseverance is no longer with us, but the spirit carries on. His will and example is one that should be followed by everyone!" He said as I recalled no mention of Serge meeting Floyd in the Church of Mankind book, yet from what I heard of Floyd, he briefly met Serge. Guess that detail got forgotten, or was purposefully left out for some reason. "We cannot sit idly by and watch this…creature do this to a human! Even if I am wrong, and the scraggy is not a human, sitting back and doing nothing in response to a murder is something that The Sound of Perseverance would surely frown upon."

"We must find this mienshao now!" I heard some yell out from the crowd. Just as I had planned. I went out in this world and took my chances, rolled the bones, and won. Maybe. I just felt high from the success I had with this. Aside from what this would hopefully accomplish, I got a strange kick out of being able to have this much influence over these people. Probably shouldn't get too carried away with these notions, or Melinda would give me a lot of shit.

"Very well, we shall all set out in five minutes and commence our search for this mienshao and bring him to justice!" The blastoise announced to mostly applause from all the church attendees. Well, it's probably best I report this to Bibarel and the others, since they'd probably want to know about this and make the most of the little army I recruited for them. Sneaking out carefully, I ran back towards the guild while the streets were still populated and swiftly climbed the stairs before scrambling down the ladder.

"Bibarel!" I said loudly to get his attention. "I was attending the Church of Mankind out of curiosity, as you'd expect from a human. I wanted to find out what they think of us, but they said that they figured out that Neerav was a human and are all banding together to hunt down the mienshao!" I said, gasping for breath, trying to make myself look more shocked than I actually was.

"…And you're sure you had absolutely nothing to do with this?" He said, eyeing me suspiciously.

"No!" I instinctively said. "However, we should really take advantage of this golden opportunity! They'll probably be leaving about now, so we should go with them, or at least monitor them. What if they just decide to just kill him and leave us with no information?"

"Hrm…" He responded, stroking his chin. "I guess this is a good thing, but…well, help me get everyone ready."

"I'm on it!" I said, smiling to myself as the word spread quickly throughout the building. Melinda must have overheard what happened before I told her as she quickly took me to one side, not looking pleased.

"Did…did you just start a crusade?" She said hotly, hissing slightly as she spoke.

"…Yeeeaaaahhhh…" I said slowly, smiling sheepishly. "Look, this was a great move. Any remaining humans will be safer if this 'crusade' spreads to other lands, and it'll make this world less dangerous. If these guys drive the Pale Communion even further underground, then they'll be out of the way so we can focus our efforts on finding Serge and finding a way to defeat The Devourer. I didn't even lie this time!"

"Well, I can see where you're coming from but…well, won't this get a fair number of people killed?" She said, sounding deeply concerned.

"This world's already pretty damn lethal, I've hardly changed anything. Besides, better those scumbags die than anyone else." I said, as I gathered my stuff together. "This should result in less suffering overall, so…shouldn't that make you happy?"

"Well…" She said, and I could tell that she thought I was right, even if she didn't want to admit it. "Look, I just think we should be doing everything we can to prevent people from dying here."

"I'm not forcing them into this. They did it on their own volition, and I used no trickery. If they end up getting hurt over it, I can't be made responsible." I said, as we started walking to meet with the others.

"How odd – you seem to get really wound up over encouraging Nisbeth and Murphy to come along with you, even though they made the choice in the end." She said as I turned around to stare at her.

"They're friends: that makes things very different. Now come on: let's enjoy being at the more desirable end of a witch hunt for a change!"


	18. One Little Victory

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 18: One Little Victory

I swiftly followed the others out of the guild headquarters with Melinda in tow, holding the weapon tightly. When I thought about it, this was roughly a fifty versus one scenario, and I couldn't be more glad to be on the more populated side this time round. The sun had disappeared completely behind the small hills on the horizon by now as a smooth darkness started covering the lands around us. Of course, this could make the mienshao harder to find, but with so many of us, I think we' be just fine. Of course, there was a strange power the mienshao had, but I assume it couldn't be that powerful, else he wouldn't be hiding so much. All I'd have to do is get my friends to stand back a bit, just in case they'd get a taste of that terrible power, and I'd be happy.

"I've been thinking, Basil." I heard Nisbeth say to me quietly. "Maybe going back to my old life would be a bad idea."

"What do you mean? Thought you didn't have any interest in this rescue and law enforcement service stuff." I asked as we stayed somewhat towards the back, though I still made sure there were allies behind us that would be first in line in case the mienshao attacked from behind.

"Well, I did regret following you to Newer Orleans. Really, this was obviously a midlife crisis I was going through in hindsight, and it was pretty dumb for me to impulsively go for this. Then again, I always thought I'd have been fine just resting in the shack in the swamp for the rest of my days. Sure it wasn't eventful, but it was a lot better than back in Mistet Ørkenen, and I wasn't weighed down with all this responsibility like I am now. However..." Nisbeth said, looking around carefully. "If these weirdos are going around turning isolated pokemon into these strange black statues...I'd be painting a target on me if I went back."

"You're right..." I said, feeling sorry for the guy.

"Well, following you and my old dreams could have saved my life. Pretty strange, given this is a more dangerous lifestyle." He said, smiling slightly. "I'll thank you for that."

"Oh, just as planned!" I said, smiling widely as we all started to fan out a bit, covering more ground. We were a diverse bunch with all sorts of different abilities, so I felt confident that we all covered each other's vulnerable spots. Regardless, I made sure to make sure that my friends and I always had cover, so it'd be very hard for someone to make some kind of a sneak attack.

"I think I saw something over there." I heard Audrey say quietly to Melinda, pointing ahead of her. "Maybe we should get Nisbeth and carefully check it out. Should be strong enough with the three of us."

"Not without me." I said in a hoarse whisper as I grabbed my weapon tightly.

"If there's too many of us, then we can't sneak up on him." Audrey said as I shook my head.

"Not leaving Melinda. There's no argument with me: I'm going. Besides, sneaking around with Nisbeth will be easier said than done since he's easily the largest among us anyway, so I'm hardly making things any harder." I said firmly while still keeping my voice nice and quiet. She looked down at me, scanning as she shook her head.

"You're small, so I suppose it'll be ok. Murphy, go quickly join Bibarel before he gets too far away." She said as Murphy complied and swiftly ran over to the guild master, remaining very light on his feet.

"Regardless, I think I saw something rustle over there. Could just be some savage, but you never know. Be very quiet and careful, and keep your eyes and ears open." Audrey said as we continued on slowly and carefully. I'd have liked more of the natives with us at the time, but I found it difficult to argue as to why bringing more along for the ride would be a good idea. I stayed at the back of the group, constantly looking behind me, getting ready to fire the weapon at a moment's notice. My mouth slowly dried as I twitched at every single sound that sounded remotely out of place. How fast could this thing act? Did it have to charge up its energy to turn one of us into a statue, or could it do it in the blink of an eye? Regardless, I could fire and teleport with the weapon real fast. I could win this quick draw content as long as I don't slip up.

Melinda looked uncomfortable, given that lighting the ends of her bone would give our location away. I assumed it was part of the source of her fighting capabilities and as a result, she was essentially crippled right now. Regardless, she could still probably give the mienshao a good whack. I saw her bite her bottom lip slowly as she tried not to show much fear and kept focusing on the task at hand. Nisbeth seemed to be preoccupied of where he was stepping as to not make too much noise as he awkwardly crouched as he walked beside us, trying to keep his head down. If he got a real solid punch on the mienshao, then it should be over, but getting close to him would be the hard part. Perhaps I could assist with the weapon…

I suddenly turned to the left as soon as I heard something and pointed the weapon in the direction of the sound. I gasped slightly as I did so, as I tried to figure out what that noise was. Just a rustle of leaves? A pokemon groaning? It was so sudden and quick I couldn't tell.

"Any of you hear that?" I whispered as I saw Audrey and Melinda shake their heads. I gestured towards the source of the noise, but it had all gone quiet. I couldn't see anything either through the thick layer of bushes and trees, though the night seemed to obstruct my vision less as a meowstic than it did as a human. I guess I could be grateful for that.

"So…want to check it out Audrey?" I said quietly, gesturing for her to go first. She looked hesitant as she frowned, thinking about it, but seemed to agree after about five seconds of stalling. Still pointing the weapon at the source of the sound, I saw her creep forward slowly, and after only two steps, something small and rapid dashed up one of the trees with great haste.

"Just a pachirisu…" I heard Audrey mutter, drawling slightly. "I've been thinking, if I were the mienshao, I wouldn't be hiding, I'd be running away from here really fast, and he could easily outrun all four of us. Maybe this is the wrong approach."

"And just running headlong into the darkness is your idea of a solution?" Nisbeth said, shaking his head.

"I'm the leader here, so you'll listen to me." She said sternly before looking somewhat shyly at the ground. "Wish I knew exactly what we were dealing with here. It'd make things so much easier…"

"I feel ya, but what if-" I said but I suddenly stopped and jumped slightly as I heard someone yell in the distance as I saw shadows and shapes shift and move between the crowded trees in the distance, just at the edge of my vision.

"Must have found him!" Melinda said as she charged forward, lighting both ends of her bone as she effortlessly charged between the shrubs and trees that lined the forest.

"Mel', wait up!" I called after her, running as quickly as I could, though the thick layer of bushes proved to be a far bigger obstacle now that I was less than half my human size. I scratched myself slightly as I pushed past a thorny bugger, and while it was tempting to use the weapon to teleport ahead, I really wanted to save the charges for when I needed them. I silently begged for Melinda to not do anything overly rash as I saw her get further away. I suddenly felt Nisbeth pick me up from behind, only using one arm as he leapt over a large and thorny bush.

"Thanks…gives me time to figure out how we can take out the mienshao." I said, looking at a couple of scratches on my body as I held onto his left arm. I barely seemed to slow the guy down as Audrey ran just ahead of us.

"Oh no…" I heard Audrey say faintly as she pointed to something just ahead of us. As my vision pierced the darkness, I could see that it was that blastoise priest, or at least what was left of him. Yet another denizen had been turned into one of those black statues, which I assumed was as good as being dead. I saw Audrey inspect the statue alongside a couple of distraught looking pokemon, looking as terrified as they did dejected. Right, time for action. I could not allow this to happen to Melinda! With the forest being a little less dense than before, I could use the weapon to teleport forward without simply faceplanting into a tree.

"Basil, please don't rush in like your sister did!" Audrey said, and while I appreciated her looking out for me, there was no time to get held back by caution. I could see the flames that Melinda was producing, so I knew exactly where I needed to be. Aiming the weapon, I teleported forward on top of a small shrub, making up almost half the distance in an instant. My landing wasn't the best as I fell forward before picking myself up instantly, but a mere second later, I heard the most horrible, unearthly scream. It sounded from somewhere in front of me, yet it also seemed to sound inside my brain. It was incredibly loud, and yet, it sounded as hollow as the empty depths of space, almost like it was a whisper of unspeakable volumes. The awful noise was enough to force me to my knees as I forced my ears shut so tightly with my hands that it started to hurt in a whole different way, yet it subsided as soon as it came.

What did not subside was what I saw next. I saw what could be described as some kind of black light emitted from what I assumed was created by the mienshao, given it came from a slender, shadowy figure that seemed to block out all light in its path. I heard a scream of horror from someone I didn't recognize, so I knew Melinda was fine, much to my relief. Looking closely, I could see Melinda hiding from it behind a very thick tree, so I took the opportunity to teleport next to her.

"I'm here Mel'." I whispered as she looked down at me.

"It was aiming for me. I only just got out of the way in time." She said quietly backwards.

"No matter. I've been thinking; what was that attack you wounded the marowak with? It clearly works, so maybe you could use it." I said, peeking my head round briefly, seeing the mienshao looking around, but it looked like it was trying to decide on where to flee rather than trying to hunt us down. Clearly, numbers were still not on his side, and it already looked like had taken quite a beating from earlier.

"It was inspired by a magmortar. Think of it as using my bone like a bazooka and launching a huge and explosive fireball, though it's too hard to hit such an agile target with." She said, as I thought about it briefly.

"I've got it. Melinda, when I give the signal, use that giant fireball right at me." I said as I saw the mienshao start to run away. "I'll swap placed with him, he'll have no time to react! Get ready Mel'!" I ran after it as fast as I could for a few seconds, hoping I could get a clear shot at it. I saw the mienshao make the mistake of running straight down the path instead of diving into the bushes, giving me a clear line of sight. It was hard to aim properly with something that didn't have some kind of iron sight like a rifle would have, yet by accessing the psionic plane, I could feel where the shot would go almost exactly for the first few meters or so. With a slight adjust of my aim, I fired as a tiny speck of light shot out of the weapon as I raised my right arm right afterwards. Just before I saw it land, I heard Melinda let the explosive fireball loose, but I knew I'd be safe. A split second later, that tiny speck of light landed as I suddenly found myself about seventy meters away from the explosion that sounded behind me just afterwards. Looking back, it was clear the mienshao had no chance to react as it was sent flying in the air like a ragdoll before landing on the ground with an audible thud.

"Got ya!" I said, before running up to him and blasting one of his arms, then one of his legs while he was barely conscience at point blank range, just to make sure he couldn't escape.

"Excellent job Basil! Never thought you could pull off something like that given you were having trouble adapting to this place!" She said, looking proud as she ran over to me.

"I even impressed myself this time." I said, smiling smugly as I looked down at the barely conscience mienshao. Huh, maybe this is why The Guardian of Forever was trying to get his hands on a bunch of humans, given that it was Melinda and I that got him in the end. I heard the others approaching from behind as I showed them our fallen foe, while still pointing the weapon at him in case he tried anything funny.

"Serge made a good choice with you two." Bibarel said, respectfully keeping his voice down to avoid making us seem suspicious. I frowned ever so slightly as he inspected the horribly burnt and battered mienshao.

"Right, tell us everything you know about The Guardian of Forever and The Devourer, or I'll start finishing off your limbs!" I snarled at him. I cared not for any form of mercy towards anyone who threatened my sister's life as I rested the tip of the weapon against the arm I mangled previously. One final blast ought to completely sever it from his body.

"That's enough Basil." Bibarel said as I rolled my eyes.

"He can still speak even after I blow off his arms and his legs as long as Melinda stops the bleeding." I said, as the two of them looked at me as if I was doing something bad. "Anyway, where were we…I'm giving you ten seconds to speak. Ten, nine, eight…" I started counting down as I stared into his eyes, which were lazily glancing back at me. However, on the word two, I was suddenly picked up from behind and moved out of the way by Bibarel. I guessed he'd intervene with my more direct approach, and it seems like I was right.

"I've decided to give you a chance, but next time, I won't stand in the meowstic's way." Bibarel said, still going along what I was doing to an extent. Looking at the mienshao, it started shifting and writhing on the ground slightly as I pointed the weapon at it, getting ready to blast it if it did anything remotely more threatening.

"Dev…Devou…" It said as it started gurgling on its own blood that it was starting to cough up. The three of us just stood and stared as we heard more people join us from behind. It started thrashing wildly on the ground as if it was trying to escape from several people holding him down, but it was soon clear that there was no saving this pokemon when its eyes looked so far up into its sockets that only the white sclera was visible, alongside the blood oozing out from all corners of his eyes. With a final gurgle, he suddenly stopped struggling and lay motionless, and presumable dead. Melinda cautiously checked his pulse and confirmed that there were no signs of life within him.

"Well…we stopped him from turning anyone else into a statue…" Melinda said, looking behind her at a petrified zangoose who I vaguely recognized from the church. That must have been the one who screamed near Melinda and the mienshao.

"I think we also now know that he knows of The Devourer, given his final attempts at words. This could explain why he could do…that." I said, pointing at the zangoose statue.

"The statue's also just as unmovable as the others…" Nisbeth said, trying to push it.

"Shame what happened to the priest and the zangoose, but at least we can be fairly confident that these statues having something to do with The Devourer, so I'd say that's one little victory." I said, which seemed to annoy some of the church goers.

"Oh, our priest dying is merely 'a shame'?" One of them said loudly at me as I held up my hands in protest.

"Might have been a tad insensitive, but crying over it isn't going to bring him back." I said as I noticed that Melinda of all people was trying not to laugh, though I had no idea why. "Who knows, maybe we'll find a way to undo this and turn him to normal."

"Well you should get started now then!" Another one said, sounding very bossy.

"I doubt it'll be as simple as asking The Devourer…" I muttered as I turned to face the others.

"Well, considering what we found, I think we'll be returning back to State Broussard tomorrow." Audrey said, making sure the four of us were all here. Murphy looked rather shaken up from the whole affair, and I can't really say that I blame him.

"I…I saw it with my own eyes. That blastoise tried to protect the others when the mienshao was cut off, but…oh, I've seen way too people die. First Danil, now him. It was that final scream of anguish, Basil. I can still hear it." Murphy said, his yellow scales looking a pinch paler than usual, or perhaps I was just imagining it. Does a heliolisk face have its colour drained during a state of fear like humans do? Regardless, I was sincerely hoping he was just being metaphorical about still hearing that scream. Given what we were up against, it wouldn't be all that surprising if he was being literal.

"Look, while I'm not getting my hopes up for this, maybe that mienshao was The Devourer, and we've already won. Doubt it, but you never know. At least we've probably given it a setback." I said, trying to cheer him up slightly. In many ways, he was in the same situation as I was. I wanted nothing to do with all this, yet here I was. Murphy was essentially tricked into joining us, and while he seemed into at first, it was all too clear by now that he felt way out of his depth now that he was faced with the reality of the situation. If he was getting cold feet earlier, then I could only imagine that he'd run to familiar territory as soon as we arrived back in Broussard. Of course, I'd fully support him in his decision.

"It was…a good job that you and Melinda stopped him. Sorry I couldn't help, I was too far away." Murphy said as I gently patted him on the back.

"Ah, don't beat yourself up about it. We stopped him, and the four of us are ok. That's what really matters, isn't it?" I said, looking at Nisbeth and Melinda speaking to one another. "Anyway, looks like we're about to head back to the Bibarel guild. I'd say we all earned a good night's sleep at least, even if we're no closer to finding Serge."

"I guess…" Murphy said, smiling slightly, though he and Melinda still looked rather mournful when we passed the two victims. They looked like they were permanently locked in a state of indescribable fear, as if they just realised that what awaited them was even worse than death. Not that there was anything worse, however, and I'd not let the end come to me without exhausting every resource possible.

"You know, probably even more would have been murdered if you didn't egg them on." Melinda said, looking back at the priest. "I thought it was rather callous of you at first but…well, you were right all along. There must have been a way to stop those two from being turned into black statues though…"

"You can't save everyone Mel'. Besides, I'd say we've had a good impact on this world so far." I said quietly. Thought the cheerful outlook on this might make her see the good side of all this, even if I personally didn't care too much.

"Remember how I said I was once good at feeling out battles on the fly? Well, there was always that delay when I gave my team the commands back home. Now that the middle man has been cut out, or moved, at least, I can do all this stuff instantly! Wonder if I'll end up becoming good enough to be on my own team?" Melinda said, chuckling to herself at the bizarre scenario.

"Well, you're certainly smarter than your team members." I said, though I was still really questioning Melinda rushing headlong into that. If she had a stroke of bad luck when that happened…

"Wonder how they're doing anyway? If anything happened to me, I already said I'd get you to look after them, but with you gone too…" She said, suddenly looking worried again. Under any other circumstance, I'd say she was a terrible mood swinger, but the recent days have been more up and down than the Himalayas.

"They're probably with your manager, they'll be fine with her." I said, reassuring her. "Besides, when we find Serge at get him to send up back, we can see them again!"

"Well, with how we dealt with the mienshao, we'll be seen as way too useful to let go." Melinda said, which brought a little sting to our victory. The way back was mostly uneventful, but after some time, something caught Nisbeth's eye.

"Uh, guys, remember that scraggy statue?" He said, pointing at something. We jogged to meet him and wondering where he was pointing at. The nearby tree, perhaps? Since there was no statue.

"What about it?" Audrey asked, looking at exactly where he was pointing to.

"Exactly that: It's gone! I reckon it was right beside this crooked tree, and look! You can see the two footprints where he was standing!" Nisbeth said, gesturing to the things he mentioned rather dramatically.

"He's right Bibarel." Exploud said loudly as per usual.

"There seems to be no footprints here, and this path is fairly muddy. None of us could even budged this, so it must have been something incredibly strong that can also fly." Bibarel said, looking fairly bewildered. "The only one who I know of that fits the criteria is Rayquaza, or The Watcher of The Skies if you're into your fancy titles, but Serge said he fled the planet when he heard that…"

"The Devourer: It's here!" Murphy said, suddenly looking terrified. This sense of fear proved to be quite infectious, spreading to the majority of us, including me.

"We need to hide! Bibarel, let's just go back to your house or whatever, now!" I said, stuttering on a few of my words. Bibarel, however, looked mostly composed.

"We don't know for sure if it's The Devourer or not, and even if it is, it's probably gone by now. Whatever it is, it seems like it doesn't want to make public appearances. Let's just stick together, investigate this for a few minutes, then return back to the headquarters." He said, trying to calm everyone down, to mixed degree of successes. It was hard to argue with his logic, but it didn't stop me from getting the occasion fearful shudder every minute or so. We could find no trace of the statue in the surrounding area, so with nothing else to discover, we walked back to Treasure Town fairly swiftly, not wanting to waste any time just in case we were wrong about The Devourer.

"Excellent job, both of you!" Audrey said shortly after we arrived. "The rest of the Excursion Club will be thrilled to find out about this!"

"Well, it's the least we could do while we're here." Melinda replied politely.

"Actually, I can think of a lot less we could do." I said, grinning at my sister.

"You two have been a blessing to us! The Guardian of Forever made great choices with the two of you." Audrey said as I rolled my eyes.

"I'd rather he'd have chosen to leave the two of us alone, but you already know my position on that. It's so much better at home given we did not have a daily life-or-death struggle." I grumbled slightly.

"Look, I'm sure he'll send you two and the other humans back home once all this is over." Audrey replied, but I still felt uncomfortable.

"That turn-into-black-statue attack thing barely missed Melinda. What if we're not as lucky next time? We probably can't rely on the church to form a mob again any time soon either. Besides, we're not any closer to finding Serge." I said, as Audrey rolled her eyes.

"If he's constantly on the run from The Devourer, then I don't think we'll be running into him any time soon. Just being honest with you here. Anyway, we should get some rest and get the first ship back to Newer Orleans tomorrow." She said, which I was totally fine with. If The Devourer was on this continent. Just because it seemed too shy to make public appearances for now doesn't mean it could all change later. If it was more dangerous than my kidnapper, then I'd say that nothing short of an entire army could bring that thing down.

Knowing that there would always be someone to keep watch made sleeping a little easier, yet I kept one eye open and gripped my pillow tightly throughout most of the night. What would it look like? What sounds would it make? Did it smell of anything? Thankfully, nothing too out of the ordinary happened for the rest of the night, though I did hear the occasional sound of the night watch changing shifts. At some point, where I could see the faint glow of the sun behind the ragged curtains as it peeked over the horizon, I heard the portcullis being opened. Shortly after a thud on the ground floor, I heard Bibarel mutter to himself, though I couldn't quite make out his words.

"You're up early." He said as I entered the hall out of curiosity.

"Tough to sleep with that thing out there somewhere." I said, still feeling sleepy.

"It might not be as close as we think it is…" He replied, holding up a letter. "I was going to announce this in an hour, but I might as well tell you while you're here. I went alone to collect it, since we can't have The Devourer knowing where I pick up Serge's letters from. Risky, I know, but the alternative's worse."

"You'll be caught one of those days…" I said, not having as much confidence in sneaking out alone like this.

"Anyway, Serge said he's currently in Fremdesland, but he's leaving very soon, so you probably won't catch him there." Bibarel said, which prompted the obvious question.

"So where's he going?" I asked. If I knew, then being on the same island would be a good start.

"Wherever he can throw The Devourer off the most. He said that he's been hunted down there for the past five days, so I guess you know what this means." He said as it clicked pretty quickly in my head.

"The Devourer didn't move that scraggy statue. So…what could have done so?" I asked as Bibarel shrugged.

"No idea. Seems like a dead end for now." He replied as he looked at the map on the wall. "Serge has some otherworldly power as you've probably already figured out. He's no ordinary typhlosion. Regardless, I'm trying to figure out where he might go to next. If given enough time, he can open a portal to travel between the continents, but there's a limit to its range. I doubt he can travel to Mistet Ørkenen from there, which means he'll likely travel to New Australia, State Broussard or Conviction next."

"Ok, so should we just stay here and see if he turns up?" I asked, but Bibarel looked a bit unsure.

"Might be a good idea, though there's always the risk that he could lead The Devourer right to us." He speculated, but I could see no other option.

"So what else can we do? Besides, if The Devourer isn't showing up in public places, then perhaps there's nothing to lose by just hunkering down here until he eventually gets enough time to check in here. You said he was a friend of yours, so he'll probably come by here eventually. If he knows you're trying to find humans, then he'll probably just pick them up right here. He'll likely do everything in his power to keep us safe from The Devourer if he values us highly, so it probably won't be that dangerous." I said, as he thought about it.

"I'll discuss it with the others when they wake up. Seems like a good idea actually, since it'll avoid us all running around like headless chickens." Bibarel said as I sat down on a nearby chair, almost falling asleep again. About an hour later, everyone else was up as Bibarel put forward my idea.

"Was hoping I could go home…" Murphy said, as I kicked myself. I didn't think about him! How thoughtless of me! I guess he still has his ticket for the return journey.

"Surely The Devourer will come here eventually. There's already a chance it could already know we have two humans here, and if they're vital to stopping The Devourer, then it'll surely try to get them killed here. It'd be safer for them if we stayed on the move." She said, which seemed to cheer up Murphy. "You people and we of the Excursion Club should cooperate to try and guide Serge towards the humans if he shows up at either institute."

"Why would The Devourer know we're humans though? We've not bee flaunting our origins, and it's never seen us before, surely. Even if you take into account that mienshao, who never knew in the first place, he can't exactly tell anyone now that he's dead." Melinda said, though Audrey seemed to disagree.

"We don't know that. Maybe it can detect humans in some way we can't understand. Besides, we said we'd be meeting back at the Excursion Club headquarters." Audrey replied, but Melinda was having none of it.

"Just send a letter then! They'll understand, surely." Melinda retorted, as Audrey stood face to face with her.

"Need I remind you that you're under my wing, not the other way round." She said as Melinda coughed slightly while still staring back at her.

"Or we can just stay here and you can go back and explain it to Charlie. This plan is sound, since you'd have us go on a wild goose chase, praying on the tiniest chance we'll bump into Serge. Besides, there's always a chance we could bump into The Devourer instead going by that logic." Melinda said, standing firm, neither of them saying anything after that.

"…I just want to be away from that thing." Nisbeth said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Which means…?" I asked, wondering if he was wanting to leave or stay.

"Er…I reckon we should just go back to Newer Orleans for now. Less chance of that thing finding us." He replied. While he seemed on board with staying with the Excursion Club, it was clear to me that it was mostly for his own safety. Couldn't exactly blame him for that though.

"Well, taking it down to a vote, that's three versus one, so even if your brother agrees with you, you're still out-voted." Audrey said, but I knew that Melinda wouldn't take this lying down.

"Group cohesion is important, but I have to come out and say this: You're being supported by Nisbeth, who doesn't seem to really be on board with the mission, and Murphy who openly just wants to go home and wants nothing to do with this. Besides, even if it was a hundred to one, well, what are you going to do? Drag me onto the ship against my will?" Melinda said, her voice slowly becoming louder.

"Look, I can just direct Serge to where you and Basil are, it's really not that big a deal." Bibarel said, as Melinda grunted.

"A house divided cannot stand…fine, I'll come." She grumbled, and walked off to gather her stuff.

"My sister was mostly right you know, but I suppose I can see where you're coming from. If Charlie and the others have discovered other things, we might be able to figure out a bit more about what we're dealing with." I said, though truthfully, I was completely torn on this. On the one hand, staying on the move would make it harder for The Devourer or any of those statue makers to find us, not to mention it'd allow poor Murphy to sort his affairs out. However, this would make us less likely to bump into Serge, which was ultimately my goal. Not only that, but while I was hoping Murphy would be able to live happily just being an actor without all this constant danger going on, The Devourer likely had other plans. If Serge said it was threatening the entire world, then he couldn't bury his head in the sand about it forever. Regardless, even if Murphy splits off from us, I'd find a way to get Serge to take him away from this doomed planet if worst came to the worst.

It wasn't too long until we said our goodbyes to Bibarel as we made our way down to the shoddy excuse for a harbour. The ship hadn't arrived yet, so we took the time to investigate the more natural statue on the beach that thankfully didn't fill me with an awkward dread like the others did. The small beach was pretty quiet, which I liked, as it gave Melina and I the chance to stroll down it and admire the picturesque views without being interrupted by strangers.

"Can I be honest with you about something?" She told me as I gulped. I hated hearing those words from her, since I never, ever liked what she would say after those words.

"…Go on…" I said in a low murmur, as my eyes scanned across the cliffside we stood under.

"I totally get why you're just wanting to get us away from all this. Under most circumstances, I would as well, but the world needs a hero right now. Lots of heroes, in fact." She said as I tried not to roll my eyes in response.

"Not our fight." I said bluntly, but surprisingly enough, she took my flat answer pretty well.

"Like I said, I get why _you're_ just wanting to go home. You're right, it isn't our fight…but it is Murphy's. It's Nisbeth's. If the planet's on the line, then it's every denizen's responsibility to do what they can to get rid of this alien." She said, as I turned to look at her, seeing her frown slightly.

"What are you getting at?" I asked as she continued.

"What I'm saying, Basil, is that given Murphy's position, him backing out like this is, to be blunt, pretty damn selfish and cowardly." She said and I stopped.

"He's just a kid, and I accidentally roped him into this. He's not a bad person Mel'." I said slowly and steadily, making sure every single word was heard clearly.

"…He's seventeen, he's not that young, and besides, he's very good at fighting. At least Nisbeth is staying with us, even if he's probably just trying to stay alive. He'll probably run once things go south." She said as I moved to stand in front of her.

"What's gotten into you Mel'? You seem to really have it in for our allies here." I said, trying to understand where she was coming and going with all this.

"Look, I just don't have all that much confidence with Audrey leading us. Still think they're making a terrible decision, but at least she's taking the threat seriously. It's just extremely aggravating when I do everything I can to help these people and they don't put in the effort themselves. Ok, so most of them don't know about The Devourer. Fine, probably hard to convince them that everyone on this planet could die, but Murphy knows all about this and still chooses to run with his tail between his legs! Couldn't handle it when the going got a little tough." She rambled as I started to get annoyed.

"Melinda…without him, I'd be dead! He's not a coward! He's still helped us while we've been here, never fleeing from danger." I said loudly back. Thankfully, nobody was here to overhear.

"Ok, maybe I was being a little harsh there, but it comes down to this: Either you find a way to convince him to stay with us, or I will. Choice is yours." She said firmly and ended that conversation right there. We noticed the statue of Floyd alongside a statue of a cyndaquil right behind him, which I didn't notice earlier. They were somehow in great condition in spite of presumably being battered by the sea spray ever since it was built. Must have been looked after very well.

" _This place commemorates the place where The Sound of Perseverance entered our world and met The Guardian of Forever. May we be eternally grateful for his sacrifice. May his example live on within all of us."_ I sighed and chuckled slightly at this strange worship, given we met the guy in a silly looking scizor costume back in our world.

"The man we saw may not be the most…well, heroic guy, but I think Murphy could learn something from Floyd, or at least the idea of Floyd." She said as we saw the ship on the horizon slowly sailing towards us on top of sparkling ocean. If we weren't leaving so soon, I could have happily just sat down here and soaked up the view. Wonder if it looked this pretty when Floyd met Serge here? Guess Floyd would have got a kinder welcome to this world than I did.

Boarding the ship, we started sailing back to State Broussard as I started to worry about Melinda. This wasn't too unlike her, however. As kind as she was to her team, she did not tolerate a lack of effort from them, and had benched several team members in her career as a trainer. Still, the fear of getting side-lined clearly worked in tandem with her encouragement. Regardless, could this be the start of the circumstances wearing down on her? Seems like she was serious about wanting to keep us all united, which I understood. Regardless, as I looked over at her, then at Murphy, I started to become more concerned about their futures. Who knew what life would throw at them next? Well, whatever it is, I'd do everything in my power to help make sure that the next event would be a good one.


	19. Close To The Edge

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 19: Close to The Edge

"So, I take it you haven't had a word about all this with Murphy yet." Melinda said, walking up to me as I looked sleepily at her. The hammock I was in was very comfortable – far more comfortable than it would have been if I was still a human – as it rocked me slightly as the ship passed over the gentle waves of the ocean. Sadly, Melinda seemed intent of ruining this blissful relaxation.

"Nah, and I'm not going to. Look, if you're dead set on getting him to stay with us, then go ahead – pressure him into being miserable and scared then." I replied, sounding sour.

"You know why I'm doing this, let's not get petty." She said as I scoffed.

"Trying to get him to stay or abandon this dangerous lifestyle is hardly petty Mel'." I said, rolling over to look at her. "I get it, the world's under threat and stuff, which is why I'll just stay out of this. I get both sides here, hence why I'm staying out of this. Just don't be mean to the guy, ok?"

"I was hoping you'd back me up with this..." She said, shaking her head with disapproval.

"Look, do you think he'll be all that useful to the mission if he's being forced into it? You of all people should know that people or pokemon who's hearts aren't into something won't be very useful when trying to do said thing. How many pokemon have you cycled through on your team as a result...seven, I think." I said, counting them in my head.

"Well, it'll be my job to motivate him." She replied.

"Good luck Mel'." I said, not sure how sincere I was being as she walked off. Couldn't say I felt relaxed any more, as I wondered how the conversation would go. Given we were supposed to keep the whole thing rather quiet to avoid mass panic spreading across the world, I didn't think she'd try to talk to Murphy while on the ship. Hopefully I could at least eavesdrop on them when it happens, but I doubt it'd happen now. I saw her chatting to Audrey about something, though they were too far away for me to hear what they were saying as I drifted off back into an uneasy snooze.

A sudden shout from somewhere on the ship suddenly sounded as I heard something splash into the water. I quickly rolled out of the hammock to see what caused it, wondering if something or someone fell off the side. I hardly expected any of my friends to be involved and as I joined the others in looking over, I saw a samurott wrestling with a lapras. The samurott, who I recognized as one of the sailors on the ship, seemed to be winning and quickly subdued it.

"Everything's all right, there's no damage to the ship!" He called out as another pokemon dived into join them and started dragging the lapras alongside the ship.

"Ah, one of those terrorists..." I heard Nisbeth say. "Not the first time a lapras has tried to sink a ship. The advent of these vessels totally sank their sea-fearing business, no pun intended, so it's their way of trying to reclaim it."

"So, yet another brush with death then. How delightful." I grumbled, feeling more annoyed than scared by now. I gave a hollow laugh to myself, noticing that I was slowly but surely starting to take all of this in my stride rather than letting fear run rampant throughout my entire body and mind. Still, can't ever afford to get too relaxed here, as I knew that even without The Devourer and the Pale Communion, this world could still eat me alive. Why, it almost literally did in the form of that swampert!

"Might seem like a strange thing to say, but I wish your introduction to this world could have been better. Really, Broussard's a real nice place, I swear. Well, better than Mistet Ørkenen at least. Trust me, you don't ever want to go there. Lots of bad...hey, Basil, I'll look out for you, I promise." He said, looking a little shifty for some reason. He smiled down at me, though there were lines of uncomfortableness within that large mouth of his. Nisbeth suddenly seemed to be distracted by something and quickly wandered off before I could ask him about it. I was certainly curious, but I didn't think anything good would come from pressuring him about it.

The rest of the journey would prove to be rather uneventful, the weather never shifting from a mostly cloudy sky. On the bright side, Murphy looked happy to see the buildings of Newer Orleans creeping over the horizon in the distance as he leaned over the bow of the ship slightly with a huge grin on his face. Seems like he was just happy to see familiar lands, and I couldn't help but agree, as I too wanted to return to a slightly less alien environment. Maybe some of that shitty, yet perfectly functional beer could help relax me a little too. Besides, I earned it after stopping that mienshao.

There was no time to be wasted as soon as we arrived upon the shore as we made our way immediately to the Excursion Club headquarters. I never felt at complete ease moving through a bustling street, given my small body, though Nisbeth seemed to make sure that no one would end up kicking me by accident as he stayed close to my side. Seeing the rather flamboyant building ahead of us, we entered and saw that the others were also here, so, naturally there was a lot to discuss. Seems like they had started without us however, as their loud and rather frantic voices echoed throughout the entire building, culminating in Charlie silencing everyone with a bellow so loud I flinched and covered my ears, at least, more than they were already covered.

"...I think the others have returned." Charlie said after everyone remained quiet for a few seconds. Audrey decided to take the initiative as we followed her into the dining room, where it seemed like they were just finishing off a meal. Was talking with your mouth full commonplace here? Regardless, it didn't seem like a party; Charlie didn't even have any visible drinks with him.

"So...who goes first?" Audrey said after an awkward pause. "...Ok, I'll start." She went on to explain our findings in Conviction, including the details about Bibarel's contact with Serge, what the statues were, what happened with Neerav and the enigmatic statue creators and their possible link to The Devourer. Over time, the atmosphere around us seemed to become frozen with fear as the ones at the table slowly stopped chewing their food. Charlie let some of the mash potato he was digging into fall out of his mouth and even Jirachi looked afraid. What did they find out that lead to their reactions? Charlie slowly stood up, his mouth still open in shock, trembling slightly.

"So...these statues...they're people...and they're effectively dead...and this has something to do with The Devourer...well, it seems like The Devourer has, uh, made some moves then. We decided to have a word with Landorus. Being several hundred years old, maybe he knew of something." He said and gulped. He kept pausing, his voice being far quieter and more subdued than normal. "Normally, he doesn't, well, take too kindly to visitors, but now I see that he didn't mind us at all...he's, well, uh, dead now."

"Turned into a black statue?" Audrey asked, looking rather sorrowful.

"Yeah...would explain why all of them look surprised or afraid now." He replied, looking like he was itching for a drink to calm his nerves.

"Seems like there's more than one of these pokemon going around turning victims into black statues." Audrey said, keeping oddly cool about the whole thing.

"Maybe it's The Devourer itself. If Landorus is as ancient and as powerful as I've heard, then maybe it won't go down to one of those pokemon in league with this monstrosity." Nisbeth speculated, though I wasn't entirely convinced.

"I've seen how the process works, and I don't think being big and powerful slows that down at all." I said, though I had no idea. "Still, if it's going after powerful entities, then it must be getting bolder now." As I said those words, I inhaled through my teeth. Sure, it was only isolated people getting attacked here for the most part, but that could be changing as of this very moment. Looking around, it seemed like everyone else was thinking the same thing. We may have made progress, but time wasn't on our side at this rate. It came for Landorus, it came for a human, and, sooner or later, it would surely come for us. Nobody was talking, clearly still taking in all of this uneasiness as I saw Murphy drumming his fingers against his leg uncomfortably, clearly wishing to be elsewhere.

"Well, Bibarel said he'd direct Serge here if he sees him. So, uh, think we should just hucker down here and hope he shows up?" I suggested. After all this nonsense I went through, I'm not sure how I would react to seeing him. I still hated him to the point I'd be glad to see him die, but I needed him to eventually send my sister and I home, and he needed me to stop The Devourer.

"It's the best we can do." Melinda said, sounding a little less shaken about all this, looking more focused on finding a solution to this.

"But what if The Devourer or any of its associates come here?" Murphy said, his voice being a little higher than usual.

"If you have a better idea, Murphy, let's hear it, and no, running away home doesn't count." She said sternly as Murphy lowered his head slightly in sadness. "You can run, hide and do nothing, but we both know that The Devourer will catch up to you one way or another."

"Melinda, quit scaring him!" I said, raising my voice.

"I'm only telling him the truth Basil." She said, looking at me with narrowed eyes. "You clearly want to be friendly towards him, but I don't think it's kind telling him that he can just hide from all this."

"Now's not the time Mel'!" I said angrily at her. As much as I loved her, I didn't want her walking all over my friends like this. "...That being said, Murphy, The Devourer could also find us if we start wandering around like nomads. Even if it's becoming more confident, there's been no attacks in a town yet, so we should be fine for now I'd imagine."

"I'd say Basil's right." Charlie said, stuffing the last of the food in his mouth. "Like Audrey said, if The Guardian of Forever ever loses The Devourer for a while, he'll likely go see Bibarel and quickly make his way here. Then we can see where things go from there."

"I remember Bibarel guessing he might be in Fremdesland though." Audrey said, though I saw Charlie shake his head at this.

"He'll probably be gone when we arrive there. Besides, he said it was just a guess. Maybe he's here in State Broussard, we don't know that." Charlie replied as he started gathering up the plates.

"Murphy could also be right though. Why should we be sitting ducks? What if The Devourer can tell who's human? I'm assuming it must know that humans are being summoned here, and we don't know what it's capable of, so could it possibly know about Melinda and Basil?" She said as I shuddered at the thought of it.

Slowly, but surely, we descended into bickering about what to do, but it seemed like a consensus couldn't be reached. Some wanted to stay put, some wanted to go to Fremdesland, others wanted to go back to Conviction to see Bibarel. Jirachi had the ballsy idea of sealing us inside the building, blocking off any and all visitors and advertising Melinda's existence as well as my own across the lands, hopefully getting Serge's attention. Nisbeth seemed to really hate that idea, though Melinda seemed to quite like it, claiming it'd be the best way to reach out to Serge while making sure that no one unwelcome gets in. I tried this sort of thing before, and it failed horribly, so I was siding with Nisbeth here.

This was going absolutely nowhere. We'd really stand no chance of trying to find Serge or do a thing about our otherworldly foe if we were all split like this. How could I help get everyone on board with the same idea? To be honest, I wasn't completely sure about how to take things from here. Was staying put here really the best option? Regardless, probably best if everyone just goes with one plan and sticks with it. We had some talented people here with us, so they could improvise something if it all goes to shit I guess. There was also Murphy, however. Guess he'd want to return home or at least stay away from all this one way or another. Best have a word with him soon, preferably without Melinda. Although, there was someone else who I wanted a word with first.

"Hey, Charlie, mind if I have a word with you quickly? Preferably alone." I said quietly to him as people started leaving. No one seemed to overhear me thankfully as he quietly nodded and lead me into his shambles of an office. Books lies about all over the place in a disorderly fashion, yet it looked like they had been barely read. He reached for something behind his desk which, of course, turned out to be a bottle of booze.

"Want some?" He asked as I accepted. He poured me a small glass and took a swig from the bottle. "Sorry, this has been helping me recently, especially with Layla's death. Crazy, isn't it? Audrey and I had no idea when we were kids that this planet and everything beyond almost died. Then comes along The Guardian of Forever and tells us all what happened, and well, that was that. Heard stories that pieces of Temporal Tower, y'know, where Dialga lives, were hidden in parts of Conviction and that The Sound of Perseverance helped sort that mess out, To think something else has come along and is wanting us all dead, or something like that..." He took a very large swig, taking several gulps of the stuff. Smelling it, I wasn't sure what sort of alcoholic drink this even was. I think it might have had an American-style whisky base, but it was mixed with some fruit that could have been native only to this planet, since I couldn't recognize it at all.

"It's whiskey and chesto berry juice. Lovely stuff, can't live without it. Eases me real good, yet it keeps me awake, and as I'm sure you can imagine, I've needed both of that ever since that typhlosion told me about The Devourer." He said as I took a sip. Damn, did it taste sharp! Those chesto berries really packed a punch, tasting rather like blueberries with the zingy sourness of a lemon. Seemed to not go well with the whisky at all, but I wanted him to be warm to me, so I kept drinking, accepting his hospitality with a forced smile.

"I mean, to think the two of them might have only bought this planet thirty-five more years..." Charlie said, taking a large swig before clearing his throat. "Oh, sorry, you were wanting to say something to me?"

"Yes, it's to do with how we're going to take things from here in regards to Serge and The Devourer. As you can see, we've had no real consensus on what to do now, with barely anyone agreeing with one another." I said, taking another drink. Maybe my tongue was being numbed, but it didn't taste quite as bad anymore. "Well, you're the owner of this place, the boss, the leader. I'd say it's time you really acted like one."

"...What do you mean?" He said, slowly resting the bottle on the desk and looked down at me.

"I'm saying that you should put your foot down Charlie. You've all heard our opinions, but the final decision rests with you. It'd be nice for this to be democratic, but it's simply not working right now! Look, where I come from, some conflicts can grow to huge scales, where entire nations throw their collective might against one another in a battle for survival. When a country's existence is on the line, it sometimes becomes necessary to make sure everyone is in line and working towards preserving the nation, personal feelings and opinions be damned. It's ugly, sure, but sadly, it can occasionally be a necessity." I explained, thinking back towards the wars that ripped Europe to pieces.

"Your world sounds strange." Charlie said as I decided to not dwell on it for much longer.

"Your world would probably know this too if there was ever a continent that had more than one nation in it. Besides, what I'm saying is that if you truly believed that everyone on this planet could fall victim to The Devourer, then you should really like this iron fist method. Again, forced unity isn't pretty, but I see no other choice here. Unless, of course, you think we can succeed by running around like headless chickens, praying that everything turns out for the best." I replied, looking firmly into his eyes. I wasn't sure whether Charlie would be an effective leader, but, ultimately, he was probably the most qualified out of all of us. I'd likely have said the same thing to Melinda, but as well-adapted to this world as she was, she still didn't know this world nearly as well as the natives.

"Ah, well, I've never done anything like that. I've always been lax with the way I own this place. I hire some really good people who know what they were doing, so there was never any need for me to bark orders." Charlie said, looking uncomfortable as he slowly sipped his strange brew, clearly thinking about this. "What if they don't listen to me?"

"Planet's on the line, and we don't want another Layla to happen, now do we?" I said back to him, going straight for blatant emotional manipulation. "We need a strong firm leader, whether we like one or not, and just so you know, if you don't step up, I'll convince Melinda to do so instead. She probably has the best mindset for being a leader out of all of us, but I don't think having someone who doesn't know this world well would be a good idea. You've got a lot of connections in this planet as well, so you're in a great position to really lead us. All you need to do is to grow a pair, stand up and take command. Don't worry, I'll back you up on everything you do."

"I'll run it by Audrey and Jirachi." He said, his voice sounding a little mopey. He clearly didn't want to do this, but if he wanted to defeat The Devourer, it's a step he'd have to take.

"You should still take our opinions into consideration however, and if those two don't like it, then just order them to step in line. If they've worked with you since I was born, roughly, then they'll understand." I said before finishing off my rather sickly drink. Man, this stuff was strong! Not enough to significantly affect me however, though seeing Charlie tank multiple bottles of the stuff a day lead me to believe he had a liver of iron. Hopefully he'd remember our little talk by the morning. Right, now time to make sure Murphy is doing ok. I just hope that Melinda and Audrey are staying away from him.

"Murphy, I really don't think you're thinking this through." I heard Audrey say. Shit, maybe I should have tried to sort Murphy's issues out first. "If you try to go home, you'll be completely alone. Don't you remember? The Devourer and its agents, if they are, that is, tend to go after solitary targets. Are you sure it's worth that risk?"

"I can stay in Newer Orleans and take more acting roles. I'll save up enough money to be flown home and see how things go from there." Murphy said firmly, breathing somewhat deeply.

"Now, this is just speculation, but what if The Devourer can see through the pokemon that are working for it? I'd be likely the mienshao saw you at some point." She said, but I wasn't sure if that was entirely true. That being said, I'd be a hypocrite if I criticized her for that. "It may know or at least suspect you were part of a movement to try and kill it. If it does, then you'll obviously be safer with us."

"Unlikely." I said as I walked round the corner as Audrey looked at me, seeming frustrated for a second before casually smiling again.

"Ah, Basil, I had no idea you were there! I suppose you overheard our discussion." She said as I nodded. Figured there was no reason to lie about this.

"Give it a rest Audrey: Murphy simply does not want to be here. What's the point in dragging him along? If he's being forced into all this, then I can hardly call him an effective member of the team. When was the last time you did something you really didn't want to do? I hardly expected you gave it your all. Besides, if Murphy's going to be moping about this, then he'll just bring our spirits down." I said quickly, wanting to get everything out there on the open before anyone had a chance to speak. I didn't want to insult Murphy like that, but if it convinced Audrey to stop pressuring him to stay, then it'd be worth it.

"Ok, then I'll put it another way: Murphy can't stay here if he leaves our movement." Audrey said firmly as I glared at her.

"Hold on, remember that deal you made with Murphy? That Murphy could stay here if he did the odd job for you guys? Whatever happened to that? He travelled all the way to Conviction and back for you! You know, why should I have any confidence in you if you break agreements like that? Wait a minute, you made that deal before either of us even knew about The Devourer or what you people were even planning!" I said sharply before walking towards Audrey, stopping right in front of her. She was only slightly taller than me, but I figured she could still beat me shitless in seconds if it came to blows. But I didn't care, I had to take a stand for Murphy. "You planned to con Murphy into this from the very beginning, didn't you!?" Audrey looked very uncomfortable and didn't come close to making eye contact with me for an awkward ten seconds. She drummed her fingers against her legs and tapped her left foot on the ground a few times before sighing.

"...Ok, ok, fine, I admit it. I was just taking a stressful break from my work in trying to find a way to stop The Devourer, so I went to the theatre for the evening...I suppose I should really tell you this directly Murphy." She said and slowly turned to face him. "I was taking an evening off work since I had been working round the clock all week trying to investigate The Devourer. I saw you perform on stage and figured you were extremely talented, so I thought that the Excursion Club might have had a use for you, so I convinced you to join us. I'm very, very sorry about this Murphy. Please, try to understand, we need people like you to help stop The Devourer!"

"...I should have known it was too good to be true. I'm out of here. Good luck with your quest." He said very simply, looking like he was about to cry before running off. I saw that he dashed into his room, and a few seconds later, coupled with some confusion from Nisbeth, he ran out again and sprinted past me without saying a word. Can't blame him for this really. He's been used and exploited by many people now, including myself. Regardless, I'd better try and catch up somehow, just to make sure he's ok.

Using the weapon, I teleported across the flat rooftops, keeping a close eye on where Murphy was running off to, attracting some strange looks as I did so. When I warped for the third time, I started feeling disoriented, almost losing my footing. I couldn't do this for much longer, so as soon as I saw the crowds in the street start to thin out, I teleported to the ground below and loudly called out Murphy's name.

"Hey, wait up!" I said, coughing and stumbling as he turned around and waited for me. My vision blurred as I started feeling a bit queasy as I saw Murphy run over to me and helped me stay on my feet. "Thanks...oh, just wanting to make sure that you had somewhere to stay and stuff."

"You're not planning on exploiting me for something else, are you? Did Audrey put you up to this?" Murphy said, frowning at me slightly as I started to become more stable on my feet.

"Fuck no, I could never do that to you now!" I said, trying to ease his suspicions.

"Sorry, it's just that everyone's been using me like some kind of tool or asset. I reckon you've figured out why I need to go home for the time being." Murphy said, looking sick of it all.

"Say, Murphy, I have an odd question for you." I said, not looking at him. "See all this Devourer stuff...do you even believe it's a planet-wide threat?" Of course, I believed it, but I was wondering to what extent Murphy was buying this. I'd never admit it, but Melinda may have a point regarding the heliolisk: He did seem like he was in a state of disbelief about all this, even if he saw for himself someone getting turned into a black statue.

"...Uh..." He said as he seemed to sweat slightly, though it was probably just me subconsciously anthropomorphizing him. After all, reptiles don't sweat. "...I really don't know Basil. I think I just want to talk to Mom and Pop. I really miss them you know. Maybe I wasn't ready to be an adult after all..."

"Well, you'd need to wait one more year until you're regarded as one where I come from. It's been royally hectic for all of us you know. So, just to refresh my memory, you're going to work for a short while to raise funds and go home?" I asked as he nodded. "Right...staying in one of the hostels?"

"Yeah, Mardi Hostel." Murphy said, pointing to it at the end of the road.

"Right, just making sure you had a place to stay. I, uh, really hope you'll be ok." I said, though I couldn't hide my uncertainty. How could I be sure that Murphy would remain safe with The Devourer and its associates on the prowl? Would he be safer here, where he'd not be standing in its way, or with us? Sure, we might even have to take The Devourer head on at some point, but at least we'd have safety in numbers, relatively speaking at least.

"Yeah, you too..." He said, sounding a little sad. "I, eh, in a way, I was hoping we could stick together. It'd be nice if you could get away from The Devourer, but I see why you're staying with them."

"Yeah, gotta find The Guardian of Forever. Say, Murphy, if I find him and if I can talk him into sending all the humans back, would you want to come with us? That's if I can get him to send you to the human world. You might not like it too much, but better that than dead, right?"

"I dunno Basil...I just want to think about this." He said, still looking rather down.

"Hey, if that acting club really liked having you around before, then I'm sure they'll take you back. You seemed to really enjoy that, so maybe that'll help you take your mind off things." I said, trying to cheer him up a bit. It seemed to work, as I saw his glum frown slowly start to fade.

"Hey, Basil, promise you'll see me some time soon, won't you?" He said, taking a couple of steps closer to me. I gulped slightly upon hearing this. I never considered that I might never see the guy again once we go our separate ways. I knew I'd never forget Murphy. How could I when he saved my life?

"Uh...I'm not going to make a promise I might not be able to keep buddy. I said I'd be honest with you, Murphy, even if it's an ugly truth. See, I'm not sure what's happening with the rest of us, though I have pushed Charlie to use his position as the boss to make quick and firm decisions, but he doesn't seem that into it." I said as his body slumped in sadness again. It tore me apart seeing him like this most of the time. When I first met him, his cheeriness and optimism was so prominent that it became flat out contagious. Maybe I could at least hear Serge out with this Devourer business if I can't find a way to talk him into getting him off this planet. I'd feel terrible if I just left him here, where he could be at The Devourer's mercy, which I assumed was in very short supply.

"B-but that doesn't mean I won't _try_ to see you again!" I said, trying desperately to perk him up a bit. "I can't promise I'll be able to, but I can promise I'll do everything I can to try and make sure you're doing well. It's the best I can do."

"I understand Basil." He said before looking away from me. "I'll be honest with you too: There's a part of me that really hates how you got me wrapped up with coming to Newer Orleans and learning about The Devourer. I'd have been happier if I just stayed at home, but...well, it's been an unforgettable experience, and I'm glad to have met you."

"Hugs?" Murphy said, opening his arms to me.

"How could I possibly turn down?" I said as we embraced each other gently. The larger pokemon gave me a quick squeeze and a pat on the back before letting me go. "Well, take care of yourself Murphy: That's an order!"

"Yes sir!" He said, grinning slightly as I saw him slowly walk into the hostel. All I can really do no is just hope that things turn out well for the best for him. However, on the way back, I was plagued by thoughts of what he and Melinda said about his choice to retreat to a more ordinary life. Melinda would surely chastise me for pacifying him and indirectly encouraging him to bury his head in the sand, and she could be right. Looking back over my shoulder at the street I just walked along, I knew I just didn't have the heart to try and convince him to stay with us. He should be fine for a few weeks as long as he keeps his head down I guess, but...

It was impossible to gauge the level of threat. Sure, The Devourer was supposedly threatening the entire planet, but how long would it take? It seemed to be taking its time, but I hardly wanted to dilly dally when trying to find Serge so he can tell us clearly exactly what's happening, or even what The Devourer is. Regardless, if Murphy's heart wasn't in it, then there'd be no point in trying to force him back to the Excursion Club.

"So, is that Murphy gone now?" Nisbeth asked me not long after I arrived 'home.' I sadly nodded and sat down next to him, slouching on the rather uncomfortable stool.

"Starting to think Melinda could be right about him. I mean, when I asked him if he really believed the world was under real threat and that there soon might not be anywhere to hide, he gave a really wishy-washy answer." I said, still wondering if I really made the right choice.

"Well, I find it a little hard to believe either. The whole tale of The Sound of Perseverance seems a little silly to me as well, but whether I'm right or wrong, the threat of isolated pokemon getting picked off by these statue creators is very real. Where's he staying at anyway? I'm concerned about the poor guy as well." He asked as I told him. "It's near the town centre, so he'll be fine I'm sure."

"But for how long though...eh, nothing we can really do about that now I guess." I said, wondering if there would be a good way into talking Murphy back to joining us, though I could think of nothing.

"Oh, almost forgot; you missed an announcement from Charlie. He's taking command now, though Audrey and Jirachi don't seem too keen on it since it was supposedly all democratic before now. I actually think Charlie took is as a challenge when they objected." Nisbeth told me as I smiled. At least that part ended well for me, and possibly everyone else involved.

"It'll be for the best, since we don't know how much longer we have. Better going all in on a bad decision than half-heartedly following a good one." I said, deciding to keep my involvement in this to myself. It was dark outside by now when I looked out of the window, the primitive street lighting making the town feel darker than the towns I was used to back in England. Given the rather shitty sleep I've been having the past few days, I decided to climb back into the basement lie face first on the bed, barely even noticing Melinda was reading a book on the other bed, using a primitive lantern to read it. I guess lighting up the bone was a fire hazard.

"Hey Basil. I assume that's Murphy gone now." She said, sounding a little disappointed, but thankfully didn't seem in the mood to lecture me.

"Yeah, probably a bad choice and stuff..." I said sleepily as I rolled onto my side to look at her.

"Anyway, there's something else I thought of a while ago, and it's not good. Anything but good." She said, putting the lantern and book down. "Decided to keep this between us, and before we know what's going on, I'd rather just keep this between the two of us."

"Spill the beans Mel'." I said as I sat up, paying full attention to her,

"Well, I'm only telling you since you're the only one who I know for sure isn't in league with The Devourer. You're my brother, I've known you since you were born, and from spending just over twenty-three years of my life with you, I'm preeeeeety confident you wouldn't side with it." She said in a lowered voice while constantly glancing at the door at the top of the stairs.

"What the fuck are you on about? Mind speaking English?" I replied, having no idea what to make of this.

"That mienshao didn't look any different from a typical one. So, Basil, how can you tell who's in league with The Devourer?" She asked me as I scratched my head, being too tired to concentrate well.

"Uh...when they're trying to turn others into black statues?" I guessed, shrugging slightly.

"Well, yes, but the point I'm saying is this: If its servants look like your average pokemon, then can we really know who we can trust here?" She asked as I felt a familiar discomfort, though a discomfort I had previously conquered.

"Ah, it's the Pale Communion all over again. I dealt with those fools before, and besides, that mienshao sure didn't act like a normal person. Didn't even say a word until the moment where he died...say, think that was because The Devourer didn't want him leaking any information?" I said, wanting to divert the subject away from raw paranoia, but Melinda seemed to want to stay on track with this train of thought she was having.

"How can we be sure that none of the people we're working in are in league with that alien?" She said, her voice becoming a whisper, yet somehow managed to retain most of its volume.

"Mel', please, calm down and think rationally. If The Devourer thinks that humans are a threat and that one of its soldiers were amongst us, they'd have probably killed us by now. You were with these guys for about two weeks before I arrived in this town, so they'd have plenty of chances, so I highly doubt there's a mole among us." I said, trying to quell any paranoia she was having.

"You're right Basil. Sorry, I was getting a little carried away." She said and slumped down on her bed. "Have I been grouchy lately? I'm not really feeling myself over the past few days."

"Eh? I was expecting you to say since you arrived in this world since you're in a completely different body." I said, laughing to myself a bit, though Melinda didn't seem in the mood to be cheered up as she sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Ok, I know what you actually mean...probably due to the looming dread we all feel really. It's, like, you know its out there, but you just don't know what to do about it. A puzzle where you can't even begin to try and solve. Really, it could drive a man to madness. Trust me Mel', you're doing just fine."

"Really missing home lately as well. Nothing much we can do about that though..." She said, rolling on her side to look at me. "I know this might be a bit irresponsible, but if we visit another foreign town, I think we should just have fun for a day."

"Something gotten into you Mel'?" I asked, smiling slightly.

"This little posse clearly won't last much longer at this rate, especially with Murphy calling it quits. I mean, you saw me get suspicious over them for a minute or so. We really need to take a break before we all get driven to madness; something you should have learned during your brief career as a trainer." She said to me as I reluctantly agreed. Must she always remind me of my failures?

"Lesson learned Mel'...still, I can agree to that. We do hold the cards, and if we both stand by this, there's not much else the others can do." She said as she carefully turned off the lantern. "Well, best get some sleep. Goodnight Basil."

"Yeah, you too." I replied, feeling a little happier there'd be something to look forward to. I really needed a happy little distraction to keep me going given the ever present threat out there, not to mention Murphy bailing on us.

With a long night's sleep, the two of us were more than ready to receive Charlie's announcement. Notably, we were the first two awake and ready, though it didn't take long for the others to show up thankfully. It was impossible to tell when Jirachi was going to show up given his alien sleeping patterns, but this time, he came just after us.

"Morning you two. Want to hear my findings?" He said in a friendly voice as he floated towards us. It's funny, really. I should still be in awe at his existence, but seeing a jirachi felt almost mundane given everything else that's happened recently.

"Sure." Melinda said as Jirachi sighed.

"Literally nothing. Still, it proves that The Devourer hasn't done anything to the stars or anything like that, so it's something." He said as I saw Audrey enter the hall with Nisbeth, the two of them chatting away to each other. "Oh, by the way, did either of you two have anything to do with Charlie's sudden desire to take command with an iron fist?" Jirachi continued as I smiled slightly.

"Just doing my part to save the world." I said as Melinda slapped her hand against her forehead. "Hey, action had to be taken, and as you'll see, it will be worth it!"

"Good morning everybody!" Charlie said, his voice booming rather loudly as he took large strides into the hall to meet us. "As many of you have probably already found out, I am officially taking command, and before you say anything, I have decided what we're doing! Remember how some of you suggested that we just lock ourselves up here until The Guardian of Forever hopefully shows up? Well, that's what we're doing! You have until three o'clock to go outside, buy whatever you like or do whatever you want until we lock the doors. Right, meeting over!" Charlie finished, walking off as soon as he said 'over', not missing a single beat.

"Well, that was something...I'm off to check in with the museum to study and bring back some artifacts from the old civilization. Jirachi, mind sorting out a huge order of food." Melinda said, looking like she was still trying to figure out what was happening.

"It's fine, I'm onto that!" Charlie shouted from around the corner, clearly overhearing her.

"Well, you'll know where to find me." Jirachi said as he floated back up to the tower.

"We could be here for quite a while..." Melinda said, looking rather cross at Charlie's decision. "I swear just going out there and trying to find him while constantly being on the move is the best choice we could have done."

"Better this than no decision though." I said as Melinda sighed quietly.

"Maybe we didn't find the best people to lead us to Serge...regardless, we should probably try to find some entertainment to bring back to the headquarters, and in this world, that translates to some really awful literature. Seriously, I could write better than the book I tried to read last night!" She said, laughing to herself with a bitter streak in her chuckle. "I suppose it's better than nothing. Want to help me find something that might reach the lofty heights of mediocre?"

"With pleasure!" I said, smiling as I followed her into town, leaving Nisbeth to himself. What a scorcher of a day! My mouth felt rather dry from the oppressive heat, and my blue and white fur wasn't doing me any favours either. The bottle of water I bought wasn't even cool, and given air conditioning was way ahead of these guys, the heat was inescapable. Melinda seemed to be enjoying the weather just fine however, so it wasn't all bad I guess.

The sun couldn't attack us in the library however, so it was a mild improvement. Given their fictional writings tended to be sub-par at best, we made our way swiftly to the non-fiction section. Perhaps we could learn more about the strange world here, though if we weren't allowed to borrow them, then we wouldn't have much of a chance.

"This one looks like it might be decent." Melinda said quietly, gesturing to the book in her hand after reading the first few pages.

"'A history of New Australia?' Seems very to-the-point." I muttered back to her. "Go ask about borrowing policy, I'll keep looking here." Scanning the books, a lot of them seemed to be in rather poor condition, though they were still functional. The shelves towered high above me, so reaching the ones on the top half was impossible for a little pokemon like me. As soon as I thought that, I saw a cheeky aipom to my left climbing the shelves to get the book he wanted. Wish I could be as agile as him.

"No borrowing here." Melinda said to me as I grumbled in disappointment.

"Listen, Mel'...up for just taking these?" I whispered quietly. "These four books will fit in my bag easily."

"Stealing?!" She whispered very quietly as I looked up and down the isle. No one here, no one there.

"Want to be bored to tears for weeks?" I said in a hushed voice to her as she slowly smiled deviously at me.

"Can't argue with that." She said and slipped all four books in with one fluid movement and closed my bag, using her larger body to block the view of anyone who could be behind us. With a nod and a wink to each other we made our way out of the library, though a gruff voice suddenly called out to us.

"Hey, you two!" I heard him say and saw an incineroar staring at us from about five meters away. Did he see us through the bookshelves or something?! I did my best to look relaxed and content as I looked back at him, refusing to let my fur stand on end in worry. "You have a great day!" Phew, false alarm.

"You held your poker face, right?" Melinda asked shortly after we left.

"Oh, obviously." I said, grinning at her. I guess crime paid after all! The crowds surrounding the newspaper stands seemed to be bigger than normal. The large, loud newspaper sellers had to yell at the top of their voices to be heard and keep a semblance of order. Behind the intimidating garchomp was a scared looking lilligant, and while it was only a guess, I imagined the garchomp taking over since the excited crowd might crush her. A cinccino was dipping and diving between the restless feet of the larger pokemon, and I was wondering how many pokemon in this town have been trampled to death.

"I think we owe it to ourselves to get one of these papers." Melinda said as we moved to the back of the 'line', though it soon proved to be unnecessary as I felt myself being tapped on the shoulder by a familiar friend.

"I've got a copy, you can read mine." I heard Nisbeth say as he handed me a copy of the newspaper with a smile. "Although...you probably won't like it." After merely seeing the headline, I could see exactly what he meant.

"'Black statue of Ho-oh found in Fremdesland'..." Melinda said as we continued to read the paper. It was hard to tell what she was thinking with her marowak face, but I could still tell that she was trying to hide how horrified she actually was, and as I continued to read it, I could see exactly why.

" _In more local news, seven more victims were discovered yesterday in State Broussard, though incidents have still been contained to isolated and rural areas. The rate of these mysterious attacks have been steadily increasing, and if you have yet to hear of the police announcements, all citizens are strongly recommend to not leave their towns and villages unless it is for essential travel and you have at least three other people with you. Report any suspicious individuals and activities to your local authorities. An incident from Conviction has told us that the source of these attacks come from certain individuals who have the power to turn anyone into a dark statue. Considering that Ho-oh has fallen to one of these individuals, we urge you to not engage anyone you suspect may be one of these criminals."_

"I, uh, I should really show this to Murphy." I said, wondering if he heard about the warnings.

"It'll be closing time soon Basil, you should come with me and return to the headquarters." Nisbeth said, sounding a little stern.

"They won't shut us out, it'll be fine if we end up a little late." I said, wondering whether he'd be at the hostel or that cheap looking theatre.

"Fine, I'll come with you." Nisbeth replied, grumbling as I dragged the two of them around Newer Orleans towards the places where he might be. Given it probably wouldn't be a good idea to annoy Charlie, I moved at a quick pace, dipping and dodging around the taller pokemon on the street. Thankfully, it wasn't quite as hot as it used to be, and I had gotten used to the town by now, so I easily found my way to the Mardi Hostel.

"Murphy...the heliolisk, right? Well, he handed in his key this morning, but its policy to not allow keys to be brought outside the hostel." The hypno behind the counter said, who looked rather bored of his job and made little attempt to hide it.

"Give this to him when he returns, ok?" I asked the receptionist as he grumbled slightly.

"Fine...is that everything? Great, have a good day y'all." He said as we left and quickly made our way to the theatre district.

"Ah, I remember you." The gardevoir said upon seeing me enter the building as I made my way around a cleaner, who seemed oddly content to try and win the battle against dirt and grime in this grubby room. "If you're looking for Murphy, he's not here right now. None of the actors are now, they're on break until the evening performance. I'll tell them you were here though."

"...Read my god damn mind." I replied, smiling. "Thank you."

On the way back, I started noticing things that I didn't previously. The population here seemed less talkative than usual, as the sound of loud chatter was mostly replaced by busy footsteps, treading up and down the stone streets. Their eyes seemed to gaze shiftily from one pokemon to another, as if scouting out for things these strangers had to hide. When Melinda spoke to me along the way home, she in particular attracted suspicious looks, her English accent making her seem more out of place. They seemed rather welcoming beforehand, but now, they seemed to be wary of even the more local strangers.

"Would you look at that Basil...I'm guessing this is why Charlie wanted us to keep quiet about The Devourer." Melinda said quietly as I nodded back at her. Still, we wouldn't be hanging around here for some time if we were going to be locked inside the headquarters until Serge finds us, so it wasn't much of an issue.

"The cat was going to come out of the bag sooner or later though, nothing we could have done about it." I said, though perhaps I spoke a little too loudly as a quilava that walked by me seemed intent on turning me into a pariah.

"The what now?! Don't say that you're one of those freaks turning us into black statues!" He said, sounding extremely grouchy as he got in my face. Nisbeth looked flat out ready to beat him into a bloody pulp if the quilava did anything funny, so I tried to defuse the situation.

"Sir, you're being ridiculous! Look, if I wanted to turn you into a black statue, I'd be doing so. Right. Now. But, of course, I can't do that, since I'm not one of those superpowered thugs, so how about you piss of and bother someone else. I'd strongly advise you follow my suggestion, since these two people here will not take kindly if you decide to hurt me." I said, staring into his eyes. I didn't blink once, and a few seconds later, he decided to back down and walked on without another word.

"This will only help The Devourer..." Melinda said as I scoffed slightly, though, given Nisbeth was nearby, I decided to keep it to myself. Couldn't deny she was being a bit of a hypocrite here, given our conversation last night.

"You're late you three, get in, now!" Audrey ordered from the doorway. I didn't particularly care that she was frustrated as I saw her lock up behind us. Five locks for the door was laughably overkill, especially considering I doubted The Devourer would be stopped by a mere locked door, but whatever made them sleep at night I guess.

"Well, I'm actually as happy as can be right now: none of them paranoid townsfolk are gonna be hunting us in here. We'll be as safe as houses as long as The Devourer doesn't show its ugly face." Nisbeth said, sounding oddly chipper as Melinda and I both gave him funny looks. "Ah, forgive me, I've never been much of a people person."

"You've been wonderful to me Nisbeth, I'm not getting mad at you any time soon." I said, smiling slightly.

"Now don't do anything reckless." He said as I grunted at him.

"If I can survive being hunted by the Pale Communion, I can surely survive in this building." I said, telling him to relax.

"Since we're not doing much else, you should really practice using your psionic abilities." Melinda said to me after Nisbeth wandered off to his room.

"Talking down to me too, huh? Nah, you're right though." I said as I took the weapon out of my bag. "Then again, the weapon has provided me with all my protection needs so far, so shouldn't I develop-" Melinda then suddenly knocked it out of my hand as I saw it land on the floor.

"Then, I start burning you alive before smashing your head in with my bone." Melinda said, smirking at me.

"Point taken Mel'." I said as I picked it up and put it safely in my bag. "Mind helping me? Kitchen will be empty for a couple of hours at least."

"Of course." She said as we walked inside. Sadly, the whole session proved to be rather fruitless, as I just couldn't quite get a good grip on the basics. Melinda was slowly looking annoyed at me as she kept trying to get me to repeat a technique I simply had no idea how to do.

"Sorry Basil, this is really hard for me. I'm just used to training pokemon that are actually good at fighting and using any abilities they might have." She said as I frowned and smirked at her.

"And I'm not used to being a meowstic, so go figure." I said, trying my best to levitate a dirty spoon that someone didn't clear up from breakfast time. "Care to tell me how you got so used to being a marowak? Is it just raw instinct or something I'm guessing Floyd got a hang of being a snivy really quickly too when he was here."

"That's kind of like asking how to walk...uh..." Melinda said, sitting down on one of the stools. "I can't use the excuse that I one time trained a marowak myself since the ones here are very different...maybe you just need to practice more with your ears up."

"I'd rather not fling myself across the room with my own power thank you very much." I replied as Melinda got up.

"I can maybe help with that." She said and walked over to me. Standing behind me, she picked me up and held me firmly. If this were anyone else doing this to me, I might just explode on purpose, but I trusted she knew what she was doing. She took a few steps back and braced herself against the wall. "Ok, Basil, give it a try now."

"I may hurt you Melinda, but if you're completely sure about this..." I said and opened them up. My whole body shuddered and heaved as I felt the psionic energy course through my body. My vision was forced into the psionic plane as I tried my best to make sense of everything I saw.

"Right, levitate the spoon, but focus on trying to keep your ears open without exploding on me." She said as I did I was told. My body continued to spasm slightly, though given I was more focused on stabilizing the energy that seemed to wrap around every vein and artery as opposed to do anything else, I could keep it mostly under control.

"Levitating the spoon, now." I said as my mind reached out to try and lift it. Surprisingly, it didn't take too much effort as I was able to keep it there, though a headache was slowly starting to creep its way into my brain.

"Ok, I'll try something fun. I might be getting the hang of it." I said, noticing that my voice had this strange tone to it with my ears, almost as if each syllable had a tiny bit of sustain and reverb going through it. Reaching out, I carefully lifted four more spoons. It felt rather painful lifting up so many, but I wanted to do this, since I had a funny idea that would surely amuse my sister. I slowly drew the five of them towards us until they were just above my head.

"Look at me Mel', I'm a mega alakazam!" I said, though I felt the spoons start to slip from my grasp as I laughed slightly.

"Ah, you've got to separate them first and put them in formation!" She said as I saw her with a huge grin out of the corner of my eye.

"I dunno if I can do that..." I said, though my answer came very quickly, since as soon as I tried to separate them, I dropped three of them as they landed on the floor, clanging loudly. "Shit..." I muttered as I closed my ears to stop the headache and my body from getting overloaded.

"Well, that's a welcome improvement! See, I knew you wouldn't explode there! You'd _never_ want to hurt me, so..." She said, grinning even wider.

"Oh, so _that's_ why you did that! You cheeky sod!" I replied as we both laughed and made our way back to our rooms.

"What was going on in there by the way?" Audrey asked us, carrying some archaeological sample of something.

"Practising how to defend myself. Don't worry, we didn't break anything." I said, barely looking at her as Melinda and I returned to our room. The place was always dark without the lantern since it was a basement, and by now, it felt a little dusty. The books we stole came in handy to pass the time until dinner was served, as we learned that Fremdesland was founded by some Swiss guy about a hundred and forty years ago. Makes sense, since the capital's called 'New Zurich.'

Nobody spoke much throughout dinner, though it seemed that no one was trying to object to Charlie's authority. Charlie himself was clearly trying to act bigger and tougher to try and get the others to stand in line, though he wasn't doing a great job of it. I had to hold myself back from laughing a couple of times when he slammed his tankard down on the table, splashing a bit of beer on himself. Well, I guess this would be life now for the foreseeable future. Gotta keep all strangers out, since you never know who could be one of The Devourer's agents.

Melinda didn't say much as we soon climbed into bed. I have to confess, I really missed good old English entertainment. Some films, some music, and so on. Seemed like none of that existed here, and what I wouldn't do to listen to a good Genesis album right now. Yeah, Wind and Wuthering: That would be lovely.

I soon fell asleep, and I must have been out for a good few hours when I swore I heard some kind of low droning from somewhere. I couldn't tell whether it was from within the room, the building, outside or even in my own head, though as soon as I woke up properly, it was gone. Thank goodness for that, since it seemed to etch itself on my mind while it was there. I couldn't make out much of it, but it sounded like it simply did not belong here. Regardless, it shook me awake, and I was thirsty.

I quietly walked upstairs and out of the basement, being careful not to disturb Melinda. I had no idea what time it was, but it was clearly still completely dark outside, so it couldn't be close to morning yet. I grabbed a bottle of water from the storage and started swiftly drinking it. Given the bottle was designed for larger pokemon, some of it leaked round my mouth and onto my fur, which was a little annoying. Shaking some of the wet patches off, I started walking back towards my room, but I suddenly heard some frantic banging on the main entrance door door. _Boom, boom, bang_ it sounded as I suddenly froze.

"...Who goes there?" I muttered quietly, knowing full well that no one would. The knocks didn't seem that loud, so it couldn't have been by someone big. I stared at the door for a moment as the knocks and bangs started becoming more frantic. I started breathing deeply, looking at the locks on the door. They'd hold whoever was trying to get in, right? Instinctively, I reached round where my bag would be to grab hold of the weapon, but, of course, it was still in my room. Panic started to fill my mind and body as my jaw trembled, as each knock started to sound louder and louder. Should I scream and wake up the others? Yes: If Charlie's in charge, then he needs to take responsibility! He'd save me from whatever...that is. Was it the source of that unearthly droning? Quite likely. Maybe I should wake everyone up, just to be safe.

"Please, someone, anyone, let me in!" A voice suddenly cried out from behind the door, and it was a voice that was all too familiar to me.

"Murphy?!" I said, slowly approaching the door, my body still tense with fear, getting ready to leap to safety at the slightest provocation

"B-Basil, is that you? You've gotta let me in, please, I'm begging you!" I heard him say as he contained wailing on the thick wooden doors.

"...And you're sure you're Murphy?" I asked slowly.

"Of course I'm Murphy! I need inside before it finds me! I don't know if it followed me here or not, but I really don't want to find out!" He said as I threw fear to the wind and looked between the crack in the door. It was Murphy all right, practically bouncing with stress. I couldn't abandon him like this, regardless of what the others thought. I quickly dragged a stool over to the door so I could reach up for the higher locks. Four locks to go, three, two...

"What is it that's after you Murphy?" I asked as I pushed the stool aside to deal with the last two locks.

"I heard someone walk around the hostel, and I saw that some of the guests had been turned into black statues! There was someone...something there! Maybe it's one of The Devourer's henchmen, or maybe...oh, no, nonono! Let me in, LET ME IN!" He screamed as I swore I heard him crying out of sheer terror.

"Can you see anything?!" I said, finally removing the second lock that got jammed.

"...No, not yet." He said after calming down a bit, though it didn't seem to comfort him any more. The last, rusty lock. It was almost like it was staring back at me, taunting me. It looked almost broken, and I remember Audrey struggling with it earlier today, and she's a lot stronger than I am.

"I...I think they might be becoming bolder now, if they're attacking within towns." Murphy said, his voice still trembling. I pushed and pulled at the latch, but to no avail. Only one thing for it: I opened up my ears and combining psychic and physical strength, I flat out punched the bolt on the lock. My hand got cut rather badly for it as I felt blood slowly leak onto my fur, but I didn't care right now. Only one thing for it now: Open this door. I leapt up to the handle and held on tightly to it and pushed off the other half of the door as I felt this half start to swing open. Dropping down I looked at the fearful Murphy as he suddenly leapt at me without a moments hesitation.

"Basil!"


	20. No One Knows

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 20: No One Knows

* * *

Murphy suddenly landed on me, hugging me tightly, looking like he was about to cry from sheer terror. I felt his body tremble against mine as I looked into his wide, fearful eyes. I knew the poor guy had been through a lot, but I had never seen him in a state like this. His breathing was rapid as he held me tightly, but as the shock of him pouncing me like that, I noticed something he forgot to do.

"Murphy, get off me you fool and close the door!" I suddenly yelled as he suddenly snapped out of fearful stupor as he leapt off me to run to the door. I saw no one outside, thankfully, and as such, we were able to lock up the place without any interference. Well, crisis averted, I guess.

"Right...from the start...what the fuck happened Murphy?!" I said loudly. I could hear rapid footsteps coming from the hallways, which I hardly minded. It'll save me from having to re-explain things over and over again.

"That would be a _very_ good question!" Charlie said, glaring at the two of us. "We agreed to seal ourselves in Basil, so why did you risk opening the doors? It could have been anyone on the other side!"

"It was clearly Murphy, so relax, and no: I'm not prepared to leave him out to die. Besides, from what I seen, whatever scared him, it didn't look like it was prepared to rush this building." I said, trying to calm everyone down once they arrived. They all stared at us, but from what I could tell, only Audrey seemed happy to see him again. The rest were either ambivalent or flat out frowning at the heliolisk, including Melinda.

"Coming back here to save yourself then? I see how it is." Melinda said, scowling slightly.

"I'm sorry guys. Please, I know I made a mistake by leaving you, but I won't ever make it again, I promise, so please, just let me back in! I can't be thrown out there again! Not with that thing out there!" Murphy said, dropping to his knees as he flat out grovelled in front of us.

"Charlie, if he really means to stay with us this time, then why turn him down? We need all the people we can get if we want to stop The Devourer." She said, and while I was still more concerned about securing the safety of my friends, I found myself in agreement with her.

"I'm not sure...Murphy, tell us exactly what happened. I think we need to hear his story from start to finish before we pass any judgements." Melinda said, still staring at Murphy.

"Well, I was staying in the hostel, but just as I was falling asleep, I heard this strange droning sound. I had no idea what it was so I took a look. Seems like someone else heard it too, since one of the housekeepers was also in the corridor. Then...then that's when it happened. I heard this horrible, horrible scream, like a voice tearing its own vocal chords, complimented by a chorus of screeches of every pitch imaginable. I saw them being turned into statues: the housekeeper and one of the guests. I leapt out the open window as I heard others fall to...whatever it was. I didn't see it chasing me when I ran here, so I don't think it followed me." Murphy said, looking highly uncomfortable talking about it.

"And you never saw this attacker?" Nisbeth asked, looking a little more understanding than some of the others.

"I wasn't going to hang around and get a look: I could have died!" Murphy said as everyone thought about this briefly.

"I reckon the attacks could still be happening right now." Nisbeth said, gesturing to the windows nearby. "I suggest boarding each and every one of these up and attack any stranger who gets inside."

"And do absolutely nothing about them?" Melinda said, turning to look at him.

"Charlie's the boss now, so we follow his lead, and he said to stay here. We had this discussion before. Besides, no point in risking us getting killed more than we need to." The toxicroak replied, sounding like he had no real desire to help any of the townsfolk. "Besides, you can't get back up after being turned into one of those statues. Just takes one wrong move to fall prey to something like that."

"We stick with our plan. If humans are as important as The Guardian of Forever says they are when it comes to stopping The Devourer, then we can't afford to risk their safety more than we have to." Charlie said as Melinda slowly walked up to him.

"And we're completely useless to that plan if we just stay here and hope we find an answer. If all you're going to do is bury your head in the sand and just stay cooped up here, then Basil and I might as well just leave and try to find a way to stop him without you. Besides, at this rate, there might not even be much of a planet to save if you keep up your current plans. What's the point in saving the world if all its inhabitants are dead? You're all counting so hard on Serge finding us here, but we don't even know if he's still alive or not, and from what Bibarel told us, he's just being pursued by The Devourer himself, so he'll probably just end up leading that monster right to us." Melinda said, queuing in groans of disapproval from the others.

"We've been over this Melinda...we're all staying here, and that includes you." Charlie said, looking like he was itching for another drink, his eyes occasionally darting towards the storage cupboard.

"Being kept here against my will then? I see how it is...might as well get some more sleep then." She said and slowly walked off to her room. The others soon followed suit, though I stayed behind to make sure Murphy was ok. He was visibly still rattled by the experience, his arms and head drooping slightly as he shivered.

"I...I can't sleep. I need to stay awake. I don't think I lead it here but...but I can't be sure." He said, his voice still trembling somewhat.

"I'll stay awake with you then." I said, putting a comforting arm around his back. "If you did lead it here, I can't expect you to fight it alone."

"Thanks Basil, though I'm wondering...how come you're being so, well, nice to me?" He asked me. I smiled as I dragged a stool over to sit on.

"It's what friends are for, right? We been through a lot together in such a short time. We'll get through this shit one way or another." I said as Murphy got a stool for himself.

"You know, we could have just walked over to the stools instead of dragging them here." He said, smiling slightly. I chuckled slightly at this, though Murphy's mild grin faded as soon as it arrived.

"Your sister though...she hates me, doesn't she." Murphy asked me, and I wasn't sure how to respond. I knew that she wasn't on good terms with him, but I somehow doubted that.

"Listen, the reason why she might be annoyed with you, be it justified or not, is, well, think about it from her perspective. This isn't her world, yet she's still fighting to save it. You, however, just want to try and live your life as you originally wanted to, even though the enemy is at the gates. Trust me, I get it. I'd honestly love to have just lived with Melinda and work towards winning the, uh, tournament, for next year. This is terrifying for me too, but we'll ultimately have to face all this together. Whether we find a way to return and live in my world or we find a way to stop The Devourer...well, we'll have to do one of these things. From what I can tell, that alien has become a lot more threatening now, so we can't just hide and ignore it on this planet." I said, sighing sadly. Why couldn't this have happened to people that aren't my sister and I?

"Think I'll ever be able to be an actor?" He asked me, still looking at the door.

"Well, might be very difficult with The Devourer in this world. Still, we can make a start by boarding everything up. Regardless what we end up doing, I'd rather not be killed in my sleep." I said, looking into storage to see if there was anything. They had plenty of nails, but had a shortage of planks. Still, might as well do what we can with them.

The hammer was huge for my small body, so I had to use both my arms to haul that heavy chunk of metal over to the nearest window. After Murphy helped me drag everything else over, I strained my mind to hold one of the nails in place to Murphy could swing at it with the hammer. By now, I had achieved a small level of competence with my psychic abilities, so I was able to make this work. Still, every time Murphy struck the head of the nail, it send small shocks throughout my body, leaving me in a slightly wobbly state after we put the first two planks in place.

"Heh, sorry Basil." Murphy said after taking an surprisingly big swing at a nail, causing me to visibly shudder upon impact.

"It's fine, it's fine..." I said, feeling a little woozy and in need of rest. "I'm gonna need an oran berry or two in order to get through the next day..."

"Think boarding the place up would be use against The Devourer?" Murphy asked me as I shrugged.

"Might delay it long enough for the others to get down here. Besides, I've not heard anything, so I don't think whatever tried to kill you chased you here after all." I said, peeking between the tiny gap between the large, heavy double doors of the building. Couldn't see anyone on the path leading to this place. Maybe whatever it was that attacked the hostel was going after easier targets. I couldn't see into the main part of town from here, nor could I hear any commotion, though we were a fair distance from the town centre, so who could tell. Hope there'd be others who saw what happened and lived to tell the tale so we could get some answers should we ever leave this place.

"I still don't feel safe Basil, I'm going to stay awake." He said, as I instinctively looked round for a clock. Seems like they hadn't invented them yet, as all I found so far was the occasional crooked sundial, though from what I heard about New Australia, maybe those guys had advanced enough to invent a similar device.

"Who knows how long we'll be sitting here for though." I said, sitting beside him and staring at the door. It was still bolted shut real good, but I knew that even some regular pokemon could probably blast it down, so I had no doubt that it'd only slow The Devourer down for maybe a few seconds at most. Still, maybe that's all we'd need to alert everyone and get out of here. Maybe.

A couple of hours later, Murphy took a couple of apples for each of us from the kitchen alongside filling up our flasks with water. Hardly a meal, but it'd do for now. They really should have had night watch rotations going on here, since I felt my body cry out for rest. The flaming torch above us hanging from the ceiling was starting to dim, and neither of us were tall enough to replace it short of some serious stool stacking.

"So, how's your night vision?" Murphy asked as I shrugged.

"Better than what it was when I was a human I guess, but I don't feel like being in the dark." I said, seeing if the store cupboard had a ladder. There was one, but it wouldn't do either of us very good. Only useful for resting it against walls and couldn't stand on its own, and upon closer inspection, it seemed to have a nasty case of woodworm.

"Sorry Murphy, we're out of luck unless you want to risk either leaping up and throwing more wood in there. Personally, I don't think I want to risk burning this place to the ground. Clearly, this is a job for Charlie or Jirachi." I said as the light slowly faded around us.

"Still not sleeping." Murphy said as I sat down again on my stool.

"When I get home again to a proper bed, I'm going to flat out hibernate..." I said as the flame above me faded to embers. We didn't talk as much, as we both sleepily sat there, gazing at the door and listening out for anything odd. A short while later, we thought we heard something growl, but it just turned out to be Charlie snoring away to himself. Thankfully, it didn't last long, though the dead silence we were left with felt tense to say the least.

The growing darkness crept up on us slowly, the torch barely producing the faintest of glows as it became hard to see from one side of the large entrance hall to the other. I had no idea what time of night it was by now. Could have been anywhere between two and five in the morning for all knew, and the lack of a proper clock and no sun to reference made this night feel rather disorienting. Obviously, it didn't help that some ruckus and death took place in town during the evening, and sadly, I could never forget about that sort of danger.

"...It's here..." I suddenly heard Murphy whisper to me, causing my body to freeze. I couldn't here or sense a thing, however, and I couldn't even decide how to react to that. Was Murphy just hearing things? Was this some kind of a cruel prank? Unlikely. I slowly turned to Murphy and shrugged slowly, trying to indicate that I didn't hear anything without making even the quietest of noises. I wanted to believe that whatever it was couldn't see us in the dark, but I knew of plenty of species of pokemon with impeccable night-vision, not to mention the many other species that could find us even without sight.

My body tensed so hard I thought all the muscles in my body were about to lock up tight. Maybe this was all useless, maybe we should hide, and yet for as long as way stayed utterly motionless for, neither of us heard anything else. Seconds became minutes, and it sure felt like those minutes were becoming hours, yet we never heard or saw anything that was out of place. Was it all over? Or was whatever it was that Murphy heard still out there, waiting for us to wander somewhere where we really don't want to be.

"...What was it?" I whispered back after what felt like an agonizing eternity.

"I heard that strange droning groan back at the hostel." He said quietly next to my ear. "I thought it was looking for me, but...maybe it's just leaving town." I half expected to hear the sound of glass shattering and wood snapping and splintering all over the floor at this moment, imaging some infernal creature bursting into the room, yet it never happened. Just silence after more silence.

"...Think it's The Devourer?" Murphy said to me after even more silent minutes. No clue why he expected me to have any idea, though I could deduce two things from this: Either it wasn't that alien menace, or it was no longer pursuing Serge. I gave Murphy another soundless shrug and turned to look at the door again. Hopefully we could look at the town from Jirachi's room to try and assess what happened.

My thoughts on this suddenly ceased when I heard footsteps from upstairs. Murphy noticed them too, as he slowly pushed himself off his stool. Now, odds are that alien terrors wouldn't make such average footsteps, so I believed it might have just been one of the club members. I wasn't going to bet my life on it though, so I didn't move. Murphy seemed too terrified to stay still and listen as he tiptoed towards the stairs, peeking round the corner. The faint glow of a distant flame burning round the corner slowly started to illuminate the hallways, and as unlikely as this was, the fact it was a regular, orang glow and not that ominous, pale sickly green glow that Melinda could conjure.

"...It's just Audrey, Basil." Murphy said, making more sound than he did for what seemed like the last few hours.

"Can't sleep you two?" She said, carrying a small flaming torch as she walked towards us.

"Someone's got to keep watch for any unwelcome visitors, though I thought Charlie should have assigned someone for that. We even boarded up a couple of windows for you." I said politely as she seemed pleased to hear this.

"Thank you. I'm just off getting something to eat. Hard to sleep knowing that something's out there." She said as Murphy quietly spoke up.

"I thought I heard that same thing that attacked me in the hostel a short while ago. Maybe it was nothing, but..." He said, trailing off.

"Well, we should stick together and make sure nothing ambushes us. I didn't see any sign that anything managed to get inside, but it helps to not take any unneeded chances." She said as we accompanied her to the kitchen. "Also, level with me: Do you think Melinda's going to just run off? She doesn't seem to be too happy around us anymore."

"She'll do whatever she thinks is right." I said plainly as I got myself a cup of water.

"If she leaves us, will you go with her?" She asked as I nodded slowly.

"Wherever she goes in this world, so too will I. If push comes to shove, if you want to keep ahold of the two humans, then you may end up having no choice but to follow us. Still, I'll encourage her to stay in line the best I can." I said as Audrey's smile faded slightly.

"Look, we need at least one human, surely. I don't know the details of The Guardian's plan, but maybe we don't need both of you." She said as I raised one of my eyebrows.

"What do you mean by this?" I asked as she didn't seem to know how to phrase her next words.

"If she does run off, would you at least consider staying-" She said before I firmly cut her off.

"No." I replied decisively.

"We could all die without you though!" She said, sounding rather shocked.

"You're sounding like Serge. Trust me: from what I know, none of the humans asked to be recruited. Now my sister; she's more on board with trying to fight The Devourer than I am. You seem intelligent enough: can you figure out what you have to do to keep us both with you guys?" I said as she looked taken aback, though she seemed to understand.

"...I get it now." She said, nodding respectfully at me before leaving the kitchen and walking upstairs.

"Might seem a little cold, but I respect their efforts." I told Murphy after she left. "Besides, if we want to make real progress with this, then the least I can do is guide the higher-ups in the right direction...don't give me that look Murphy, you wanted to hide from all this, remember?"

"I guess I was…Basil, promise you won't leave me to die." He said, making me feel rather uncomfortable.

"Now I can't promise anything. I'm hardly a tough person, and you can fight way better than I can, but like I said before, just stay with me and…and hopefully this will all work out in the end." I said, smiling nervously. "Sorry, I really have no idea what I'm doing here, and from the sounds of things, none of us really do."

Eventually light started seeping into the building as the sun slowly started to rise above the horizon. I'd normally respect Jirachi's privacy, but I needed a good look through that telescope to assess the damage. I couldn't stand not knowing, as impulse drove me up the stairs with the tired looking Murphy following right behind me. Jirachi didn't stir whatsoever as Murphy helped me carry the smaller of the two telescopes to the window overlooking Newer Orleans.

"See anything strange?" Murphy asked me quietly as I shook my head.

"Gimme a chance to align this hefty thing properly." I said, standing on top of a few thick books to look through the telescope once I had it pointing towards the town. Searching for the hostel was rather tricky, but after a couple of minutes of awkwardly moving the telescope, I eventually found it. One lonely looking black statue of a pokemon stood there just outside the entrance. Seemed like this victim was caught fleeing that creature, as it was clearly in mid-stride. Hardly the sort of thing that would attract customers. Scanning all around town, I could barely see anyone on the streets, though it wasn't totally deserted. Big, hefty pokemon were walking around in pairs, and I recognized a couple of them as part of the local law enforcement. All things considered, there wasn't too much of a rampage, though after my long search was done, I did spot two other victims, both of them not too far away from the hostel.

"…It could have been worse. I, ahem, 'only' spotted three victims. It wasn't the massacre it could have been. Still, there could be far more behind and inside the buildings." I said as Murphy still looked sad to hear that.

"If I was born as a slower pokemon..." He said as I got down off the books.

"But you weren't, and as a result, you're alive. That's what's important here." I replied, trying to comfort him. "Maybe it won't be too dangerous to leave this building if we absolutely had to. Still, I'm not exactly in the mood to."

"The others will be awake soon. Let's wait for them in the hall." Murphy said as I followed him down and waited for the others to arrive. Half an hour later, all seven of us were here, wondering what was going to happen.

"Before we start and make any decisions, I'd like to say that we'll need more supplies if we're going to board this place up properly, and that while there were at least three victims in last night's attack, there didn't seem to be a complete massacre either." I said to Charlie, looking like he actually wasn't hungover for once.

"Just…let me have a chance to go through the mail first." He said groggily as he briefly flicked through the letters.

"Is there anyone other than Serge or Bibarel that could help us? Anyone else found any humans?" Melinda asked. Charlie kept his eyes firmly glued to the letters as his eyes quickly scanned them.

"…Yes, actually, though he was really reckless putting this information in a letter. Could have been intercepted by the Pale Communion. Anyway, one of my friends in Fremdesland found a strange vigoroth who claims to be human, going by the name of Duke Hackett. Are two names a thing for humans?" Charlie suddenly asked, though I was taking more interest that the American champion had been found.

"He was always a weird guy. Very creative trainer though…er, yeah, we almost always have at least two names. My complete full name's actually Basil Harold Squire for example. Never got around officially removing my middle name after what my father done…" I said, briefly getting distracted by past events.

"Duke's safe, right? We should go see him. We should get on a ship today and go to Fremdesland." Melinda said firmly.

"No, we're staying here. We already decided this together." Charlie said, and I could tell Melinda was about to lose patience as she started breathing deeply through her nose.

"What if he knows something we don't? Can I see the letter?" She said, holding out her hand. Charlie grumbled and gave it to her as she snatched it out of his hand quickly. "Hrm, I think I'll read this out loud, so everyone can hear. I trust you're ok with this." Melinda continued, not giving Charlie much of a choice.

"Guten Tag! Hello! Charlie, I heard the Pale Communion was dealt a serious blow back in Broussard, so I deemed this letter safe to send.

Things have been getting worse here. New Zürich is still untouched, but the surrounding towns and villages all over the continent have been seeing frequent attacks. -blank- is a ghost town now since everyone fled. The mayor of New Zürich has become totally paranoid: No one is allowed to leave or exit that place, though I'm not sure I really blame him for that policy.

There's also been talks of decriminalizing Z attacks here. The council has seized all of the crystals needed to pull one off for the past fifty years, and since they're pretty much never found outside of Fremdesland, not many people know much about all this. Thing is, these 'things', since I'm not even convinced that they're even pokemon like you and I, are already a huge threat with their ability to turn us into black statues within split-seconds. I don't think them getting a hold of some Z crystals will make them much more dangerous, but they could provide us with a weapon to help fight these monsters. Still, they seem to operate covertly, hence why some people think that it's a waste of time. Wouldn't hurt to try by this stage though, since I can't many answers.

Still, one help we could have is in the form of a human. While the Pale Communion were never that big here, they did make locals who want to masquerade as these otherworldly beings suddenly turn silent, so I believe he's being genuine. Although he doesn't speak in my native tongue, he speaks your language. Another reason why I'm glad my parents forced me to learn it!

As for Mr Duke Hackett, it doesn't seem like he asked to be here, nor in his current vigoroth body, so I'm assuming that strange typhlosion brought them here against their will. He also said that during their brief conversation he had with The Guardian is that he was told that humans could be resistant to The Devourer's many ways and methods of bringing us ruin, and that since a human helped drive The Devourer off a very long time ago, multiple humans should make it even more likely we can drive it off this planet again. Might want to ask Audrey about all that stuff since she was researching that sunken continent.

It'll be risky making the trip across to me now, but we should meet up. Maybe we can have a shot at trying to find a solution to all this, with or without The Guardian of Forever. If not, update me on what's been happening with you. Found any humans?

Sincerely, your good friend, Heinrich Rhyperior."

Given how long the letter was and the pokemon's large handwriting, Melinda had to go through several sheets of paper, each being rather crumpled. My sister looked up at the others as we gauged their reaction. Obviously, I could tell what Melinda wanted, and nothing short of physical restraint would hold her back now. As for the others, they didn't seem as enthusiastic. Nisbeth looked like he wanted to stay right where he was, and Murphy looked borderline devastated at the idea of being forced to go on another escapade.

"Duty calls, Charlie. We know what we have to do." Melinda said, handing back the letter. "Unless, of course, you want to let everyone around you down."

"But we all agreed…" Charlie said, looking uncomfortable. I appreciate that he gave it a shot, but it just seemed like leadership just wasn't his thing during tough times. I could see him glancing at the kitchen, clearly wanting to dive into his booze stash.

"That was before we know about your friend and Duke. Now, we have some actual leads. Duke, and these Z crystal things, whatever they are. Surely they can help us." Melinda replied. Of all people, Jirachi seemed most on board with this, seeming to be more awake than his usual self.

"Serge could show up here any moment though." Charlie said as Melinda rolled her eyes.

"So we have one person stay here to keep watch. If we stay around Heinrich's place, then the person that stays behind will know where to send him. I'm going to be very straight forward with you here: I'm going to Fremdesland with or without you. Your choice isn't really whether you come or stay, but more like whether you want to risk having your two humans go unprotected to foreign lands." She said, folding her arms, and frowning slightly at the others.

Guess she was taking after me a bit, strong-arming them into compliance. They didn't seem too determined to try and keep her here either, so it seems like Melinda won this argument. I thought this was a risky move to be sure, but given we couldn't even be sure whether Serge was alive or not, maybe we didn't have much choice.

"I wouldn't put too much faith in those Z crystals. I've heard they end up killing its user about one in ten times, hence why they were banned." Audrey said, which seemed a bit hypocritical, given I seen her use a mega stone before. Regardless how dangerous they were, we could sure use a hail-Mary if we end up in dire straits.

"We can find out more once we're there. Regardless, I'll be getting packed and ready to go." She said, picking up a leaflet by the entrance. "According to this, next ship will be leaving in an hour. Hopefully, they'll still be running. Oh, and before you ask whether it's even safe to leave the building, if it's too dangerous to even step outside by now, then, realistically, The Devourer's already won, so we don't have as much to lose as you might expect." She said as she walked down to her room.

"Basil, what's gotten into her? She's been acting strange recently." Audrey asked. "She wasn't like this when we first found her."

"She's many things, but patient isn't one of them. I don't think you can talk her out of this, so in many respects, she may as well end up leading this whole affair now, and, as a result, that kind of makes me the unofficial number two." I said, hopefully not coming off as smug. I really didn't feel that way at all, and I was happy under Charlie's experience in this world, but I guess that ampharos didn't know that he'd be signing up for something as crazy as this.

"Please Basil, if she ends up insisting on doing something stupid, do everything you can in talking her out of it." Charlie asked, half-begging with me.

"Sure, but as you can see, this is a bit of a lost cause. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to just hunker down here, but she does have some fair points." I said, looking at any fliers that could give me some information about Fremdesland.

"I swore I'd look after you Basil, but I reckon your sister's making that mighty hard. Just so you know, if you're going to Mistet Orkenen, you're going without me. Some things in life are even worse than The Devourer." Nisbeth said, looking a little pale when he said the name of that continent.

"Nisbeth…that name sounds a little native to that desert continent." Audrey said as he shook his head.

"Parents thought they were being clever by naming me something foreign. Still, it wasn't the maelstrom of death it's known to be back in those days. Got too used to this name to end up ever changing it." Nisbeth replied, looking very uncomfortable.

"Well, I guess we need to pick someone to stay behind." Charlie said, looking at us. "I guess Basil will be going with his sister, so that leaves five of us."

"Wait, Audrey was studying archaeological finds, wasn't she? And didn't it say in the letter that Duke found out that The Devourer had been to this planet before? It's obvious! Audrey stays, continues studying stuff from the museum, and keeps an eye out for Serge!" I said, though Audrey herself didn't seem to want to.

"There was no mention of anything of the sort on any of the museum pieces. Maybe it was from a different time. Besides, we probably want the strongest to stay behind in case something undesirable gets too curious about what happens within these walls, and that's certainly not me. That'd be a toss-up between Jirachi and Charlie." I eyed Audrey curiously after she said this.

"I saw you crushing those Pale Communion cultists though. Seriously, you're really fucking tough, and trust me, I know all about those things." I said as Audrey reached into her bag and brought out the translucent mega stone.

"I'm only particularly good in combat with this, and it takes about seven seconds for it to complete my transformation. By that point, I'll already be dead if my assailant has that black statue power." She said, as Charlie seemed to agree.

"While you're tougher than you think you are, I'd say you're the weakest fighter between the three of us." Charlie said, gesturing to himself, Audrey and Jirachi. "Heinrich wants to see me in particular, so I guess that makes Jirachi the one to stay." I can't say I really liked this decision too much, but it could have been worse.

"Don't worry, I'll know if someone breaks in even if I'm sleeping. I know that Basil and Murphy went to use my telescope, but I decided not to bother them." He said, grinning at me slightly.

"Well, if that's sorted, then we should all get ready. If Melinda's dead set on this, then I don't suppose we have much choice." Charlie said, predictably grabbing several bottles of alcohol for the journey. Murphy didn't seem to mind too much either way, since we'd soon be away from that strange creature that passed the Excursion Club headquarters.

"I seriously hope you know what you're doing Mel'." I said, stuffing what little possessions I owned into my backpack.

"I hope so too Basil. Not going to lie, I wish we had a more decisive group. They'll never get rid of The Devourer like this." She said, as she put the last book inside her large bag. "I'm guessing the natives don't really like me anymore by now."

"Not particularly." I responded simply.

"Well, they'll learn to like me once we get to the bottom of this." She said, and sighed somewhat sadly. "You wanted to stay here, didn't you."

"Kind of…"

"Sorry for dragging you along with me, but, really, almost no where's safe now. The Devourer or one of its soldiers would probably find us before Serge did if we just camped here." She said, looking a little frustrated. "I guess it's just that I'm used to a little more…professionalism among my colleagues and staff."

"Pretty hard to be professional about finding a way to kill a foe this deadly. All this time here, and we're still not really sure what we're up against." I said, lifting my bag, and putting it on my back.

"I'm sure you can figure it out." Melinda said as I turned to look at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, between the seven of us, you're the most likely. I'll be honest, I don't think the five natives are going to do it, and you always figured out the ways for me to win my battles." She said as I gave a hollow laugh

"Pokemon, alien monstrosities, what's the difference?" I said as she followed me upstairs as we met up with the others in the entrance hall. Charlie arrived shortly afterwards, looked at Melinda and gestured towards the door.

"Care to lead us to the docks?" He said with a slight bitterness in his voice.

"Of course!" My sister replied as we made our way through the rather empty streets. There were a few pokemon walking around, though they seemed to be on edge, and not a single one was walking alone.

"Think we should check out the hostel?" I asked the others.

"We're taking a big enough risk leaving the building. I'd rather not poke my nose into them more than we have to." Nisbeth replied, sounding a little grumpy. "Besides, we'd probably just see a bunch of statues."

"Say, isn't that one of the local policemen?" Melinda asked as Charlie nodded.

"Excuse me sir, notice anything odd about the attacks last night?" She asked as the large tyrantiar half sighed and half growled, likely being fed up with the constant questioning.

"We counted seven victims in total. One of the attackers was killed, thankfully, by yours truly. There was at least one more of them, a raichu to be exact. There may have been more, but we can't be sure, though one of my colleagues did mention about hearing…something." He said as Melinda nodded politely. She thanked us and after another couple of minutes, we arrived at the docks. Unlike the town, they looked a little busier than normal. Likely people wanting to flee the town after the seven were unfortunately killed.

"I don't suppose there was any way to reduce the number of victims, was there." Melinda said quietly to Charlie.

"Not likely. By the time we would have arrived, they'd probably have either ran off or gotten killed by the law enforcers." Charlie said, somewhat sadly.

"We'd likely just end up adding ourselves to the pile of corpses, er, statues." Nisbeth chimed in as we got in line for the next ship to Fremdesland. The que seemed kind of long, which made us wonder whether there was enough space for us Seems like one ship sailed each day from here, one going to Fremdesland, the other to Conviction according to the information bulletin, so if it was all full, then we'd be spending another day here. Thankfully, that ended up not being the case as we were allowed on the rather crowded ship. I was a little worried about whether it would sail well or not, but after a good couple of hours out at sea, my concerns were soon eased.

Low, quiet murmurs were rather constant on the ship, obviously about last night's events and how people wanted to get away from them or return to their families in their homeland. They didn't seem very bright, given it sounded like Fremdesland was getting hit just as hard, and since New Zürich had completely isolated itself from the outside world, family reunions would be rather difficult for some.

Looking around, I wondered if one of these travellers could be in league with The Devourer. It was certainly possible, as I noticed no distinct physical features on that mienshao back in Conviction that made it seem particularly odd. It's technically possible that even some of those who I was working with could be one of its soldiers, though it seemed incredibly unlikely. I believe I had been alone with each and every one of them, so there'd have been opportunities for them to kill me if they really weren't who they said they were. From what I could tell, it didn't seem likely that they could turn more than one person into a black statue at once, and it took a few seconds of concentration to pull off that awful skill, so all things considered, an attack aboard this ship seemed very unlikely.

"Aren't you a magnet for disaster." Nisbeth said to me from behind with a cheeky grin.

"Hardly my fault though, isn't it." I replied, playing along with him.

"Well, you dragged me away from my home. In hindsight, probably a good thing since I'm less isolated, but given what happened last night, that might not matter too much anymore." He said, sounding worried.

"I'd say 'don't worry', but forgoing fear entire never worked out well for some of the people I knew back home. So, uh, be afraid, but don't let yourself get too miserable over this. Like I said, I'll make sure we'll end up safe and sound." I said as he smiled slightly.

"I already promised _you_ that. Just don't make it harder than it needs to be, and never go to Mistet Orkenen. The Pale Communion practically run that place from the last I heard of that shithole." He said. Really hope Melinda would have no intentions of ever going there, but the way things are shaping up in this world, I couldn't be sure. Nisbeth's protective nature over me still felt a little strange though. I only assumed it was out of some sense of duty, but it was mutually beneficial, so I wasn't going to complain.

The journey there was thankfully uneventful, but that creeping unease never left anyone in this ship. For all we knew, The Devourer could be on Fremdesland, and coming here with Melinda could be the decision that ends all seven of us. Mountains started creeping out of this patch of fog we entered and stood there like great pillars, reaching up to the sky. I was rather glad to leave this cramped boat as we walked onto dry land. The gravelly ground jabbed my feet slightly, but it seemed like the skin on my soles were getting quite tough, as it didn't feel painful to walk on the pointy stones. The air around us felt a tad chilly as a cool breeze ruffled the fur on my back. Nice, perfect weather for me. Reminds me of back home in York.

"Now this is quite pretty…This is Südreiches, right?" Melinda said, looking up at the rest of the small port town.

"Indeed. Anyway, we shouldn't waste too much time. Heinrich lives on the edge of Thaln…eh, I'm not good with Fremdeslandian names." Charlie said as Melinda looked at a map of the continent on a board to her left.

"Thalnacht?" She asked.

"Yeah, that's the place. Not a long walk, just about five hours." Charlie responded, and after a quick bite to eat in a small café, we set out.

"Food's better here, not going to lie." I said quietly, thinking of the nice cake I had. I probably should have eaten something healthier, but it looked so delicious with the jam and chocolate coverings. Just thinking about how it looked made me swallow my excess saliva. Didn't taste quite as good as it looked, but it was definitely good enough for me. Hoped we could try more of their desserts later during any down time.

"Look at this scenery Basil!" Melinda said, looking all around her as we soon found ourselves by pretty, steep little hills. "This so reminds me of Switzerland when we had that three-day hike through the valleys and hills."

"Wonder why they made the capital 'New Zürich' then." I said, laughing playfully at her. Regardless, walking along the lakeside path while being sheltered from the wind by the surrounding mountains really made it feel I was back in that adventurous and fun hike. Absolutely nothing went wrong during those few days, and while it was foolish to believe so, I guess there was always a chance that nothing wrong will happen here either.

The water beside us seemed even clearer than Lake Lucerne, its clarity only matched by the sky above us. Good thing the fog cleared up, else we wouldn't be able to enjoy such a view. Nisbeth and Murphy looked utterly stunned, as if they had walked into a fairy tale. Of course, I can tell them how it _really_ feels to be inside one of those! The trees, while having strangely shaped ferns that seemed rather disorderly, lined themselves almost perfectly together as they raced up the mountain, giving way to shrubs, grasses, rock, and, on the highest mountains, snow.

"It's just like that painting in school…" Murphy said, slowing his pace to gaze around the picturesque valley.

"Starting to really remember why I dreamt of being an explorer in the first place." Nisbeth said, grinning widely. "Thanks for paying for the trip over here! I'd never have been able to afford it myself."

"Just remember why we're here." Charlie said, taking out his bottle and taking a fairly large drink. Not sure whether it was booze or just water, but knowing him, it was probably the former. "Though I see what you mean."

"Wish we went mountaineering here more often." Audrey said as we eventually took a short break to eat some snacks.

"I overheard you two comparing this place to some other location called Switzerland." Audrey said as she ate a small sandwich. It looked really strange seeing her eat with that gigantic mouth on her head, and put me off my food quite a bit as I watched it slaver all over the place.

"See how the capital's New Z _ü_ rich? Well, regular Z _ü_ rich is in a similar looking place back on Earth called Switzerland. From what I seen of the map of this planet though, New Australia is nothing like Australia. Yours is a big tundra, ours is a bit of a desert. I'd be happy to help you fill in some of the historical gaps of this place and give a few ideas what went on when these previous humans found this place. Still, makes me wonder if the human was Swiss or a German who thought this place looked like Switzerland." I said, rambling on slightly while looking away from Audrey. It wasn't disrespectful, but the sight of the sky-scraping mountains was a lot prettier than a mawile demolishing the rest of the sandwich.

"If we have any down time, I'd love to go over this with you!" She said, and shortly afterwards, we were soon on our way again. The mountains started thinning slightly as we left the lake behind us, and after spending a couple of hours on a mountain pass, we were greeted with the sight of a town nestled comfortably between three hills.

"See that large, pointed house just at the left edge of Thalnacht? That's where we're going. I just hope Heinrich and Duke can help us though, since we're kind of exposed out here." Charlie said, glancing at Melinda.

"I doubt this will be a total waste of time, so just relax a bit, would you?" Melinda said as Charlie took another swig.

"What do you think I'm doing right now?" Charlie said, gesturing to his bottle. "I'll share some with you if you need it."

"I'm quite all right thanks." She said, and before long, we were knocking on the door of the rhyperior's house. About three seconds later, said rhyperior opened the door with a surprised but friendly look on his face.

"Ah, it's been to long Charlie!" He said as the large pokemon gave the ampharos a tight hug. "Please, come in! Place is messy since you didn't warn me you were coming, so please no complaining about that." The place didn't seem to be the most well looked after, but given there were a fair number of us, I'm glad it was spacious.

"Right, good to see you too, but I'm more worried about The Devourer." Charlie said, sitting down on a large sofa.

"Of course, Charlie, of course. Hey, Duke, friends of mine are here! Don't worry, they won't kill you!" The rhyperior called out and laughed as a vigoroth walked in quickly.

"Ah, you must be the human that was mentioned in the letter!" Audrey said as she gestured to Melinda and I. "Well, you'll probably be glad to be reunited with some of your own kind."

"Melinda and Basil Squire." My sister said as she went over to shake his hand, being careful not to cut herself on Duke's claws.

"Oh, shit! I heard the news about you vanishing just after I 'won' the finals back in the states! My opponent didn't show up since he didn't want to risk suffering the safe fate, but when I heard that it was you and not Omar that was taken here, I realised it might not have mattered!" Duke said, twitching slightly as he shook my hand. "Uh, you have no idea what it's like to never be able to sleep. It's…well, I can't describe it to someone who's not a vigoroth."

"We've all had a lot to learn. Still, seems like we all got lucky to run into good people here." I said as felt my face sag with sadness slightly. "…Not all of us were, though."

"Heinrich's a bit odd, but he's friendly enough." Duke said, constantly pacing. "Oh, before you tell me your story and shit, I'll tell you something Heinrich and I found. I'd say it'd blow your mind, but I don't think that's possible anymore given what happened to us, haha!"

"Well, I don't think we're in a hurry." Melinda said as we sat next to each other, though from the way Duke was acting, I don't think he knew what seats were even used for.

"Heinrich was trying to figure out how to get into New Zürich, but neither of us are exactly stealthy, and they sealed the border real good. You, Basil…you might be small enough. Anyway, Entei…" He said, looking like he was having trouble collecting his thoughts.

"Kind of a non-sequitur there." I said as Duke put up his hand.

"You try thinking straight with a heart that always pumps this fast! …About Entei, the two of us saw him with Raikou, though they didn't see us. That rhyperior didn't wanna tussle with them. Not that it mattered since Raikou saw us anyway and told us to buzz off. Crazy, isn't it? You see two mythological creatures and you just kind of don't care too much. I mean, this out of body experience will forever ruin all other surprises. That big dog seemed to hate me though, and if I was alone, I might have finally been able to get some sleep. He seemed to think I was one of them. I've not seen any of them yet though." He said, his rapid speech getting more and more erratic as he went on.

"If it's 'them', then we've actually killed one before." I said as he leapt up in the air in surprise.

"Woah! Did you just smash it on the head or something?" He asked as I showed him the weapon.

"Just did what humans do best: make stuff." I said as he looked at it closely.

"Well, remember when I said we wanted to sneak into New Zürich? Well, if you think that's a weapon, wait until you see one of these!" He said, bringing out an odd red, ruby-like crystal from his bag. "Never seen one of these babies in action before, but from the tales I heard, these things can unleash powers so big that they'd assuredly be banned in professional tournaments…I can't get it to work, and neither can Heinrich. That being said, of everyone here…" He continued and gave the strange crystal to Melinda.

"You're just giving me this? Feels really warm actually." She said, looking at it really closely.

"Just a hunch, but maybe you can cause one serious forest fire with this. Just promise everyone that you'll be careful with it!" Duke said, his voice becoming rather shrill as his constant pacing quickened.

"Why would I never not be careful here? This is a long way from our previously cushy lives!" Melinda said as the three of us laughed briefly.

I just hoped being careful would be enough.


	21. The Dividing Line

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 21: The Dividing Line

"Was Duke always like this?" I asked after Duke walked off to speak to Charlie and Audrey, still looking as restless as ever.

"No, he had a very calm persona whenever I saw the occasional interview with him. I'd have never guessed he was the same guy unless he told me. Think it's down to his new body?" Melinda asked as I kept watching the vigoroth.

"I'd say so. He sure is acting as energetic as your typical vigoroth." I said, starting to wonder whether our new bodies were also affecting our minds.

"Well, good thing I have no children, else this new form could drive me mad." She said, looking away from me slightly, rubbing her fingers uncomfortably. "Say, Basil, have I been…acting differently? Please just be honest."

"Maybe a little more, well, you've been a bit pushier recently, but that's probably chalked up to that alien wanting us dead." Melinda replied as I looked out of the window. Seems like this small town nestled comfortably in this valley hasn't been affected by all this crazy shit as far as I could tell.

"You've been rather finicky since we reunited here, but it's clear that it's still you Basil." Melinda told me, standing by the window with me.

"Maybe I'd be a fear ridden wreck if I wasn't turned into a rather emotionally dead species. Imagine if I got turned into a goldeen or something like that. Needless to say, I probably wouldn't have survived long enough to meet Nisbeth, let alone flop my way all the way to Newer Orleans." I replied. It was a funny thought initially, though it seemed likely that at least one of the trainers that got yanked into this world got stuck with a body ill suited to travel on land.

"You two!" I heard someone say in a deep, thick German accent. Must have been that Rhyperior, as his large voice was forceful enough to make my small body vibrate, as if I was standing next to a huge speaker. "Come over with us, we need to discuss everything we know to see if we can learn anything about how to deal with The Devourer." We both walked on over to see everyone sitting down aside from Duke, who was still pacing back and forth across the room.

"…So from what I can tell, either those who have been…tampered with…either kill themselves or The Devourer does it remotely. That mienshao was beaten to an absolute pulp and couldn't fight back. I'm assuming he died so he couldn't give us any answers." I said after some discussion, thinking back to the bizarre and grizzly death that pokemon suffered through.

"It's hard to say exactly why but it does help give more credence to a theory I have. These 'pokemon'…I believe they are proxies for The Devourer." Heinrich said as he shifted uncomfortable in his large chair. "Shortly before I met Duke, there was a friend of mine who went looking for someone after he went missing. He said he'd be back at about midnight if he couldn't find him. I was asleep by this point, and as expected, he just let himself in. And…he then tried to kill me in my sleep." He said, looking rather pained.

"He wasn't very quiet, so he ended up waking me, and I was able to kill him before he could do the same to me. I had known this blastoise for over fifteen years, and I'm confident he wouldn't just suddenly try to murder someone like that on a whim, let alone a close friend." He said, slouching sadly on his huge chair. It creaked slightly, somehow supporting Heinrich's massive weight.

"And yet, he did." I said, being rather straightforward about all this.

"I was just getting to that. Anyway, I'm fully convinced that The Devourer was involved somehow. I don't know how it happened, but that alien must have forced Fabian to do this." Heinrich said, still looking uncomfortable talking about it.

"I can only assume it was controlled somehow. Perhaps by a malamar in league with The Devourer?" Audrey suggested, though Melinda shook her head at this.

"Unless their hypnotic abilities vastly exceed the ones back in my world, that'd be impossible. I've worked with the strongest one in England, and there's no way it could drive someone to murder unless the victim was seriously considering it in the first place. They can't make you do things you'd never ever do; they're simply not powerful enough to do that." She said, as I recalled the malamar she had that got injured so badly in a tragic training accident at the start of the year that she couldn't fight anymore.

"Well, marowaks are, according to you, very different back home, so it's possible." Audrey said, and while I could see where she was coming from, there was a more obvious answer to all this.

"I can only assume The Devourer does this to people directly, so don't ever get caught out alone, or else you'll wish you had just died right on the spot. Even worse, if it has assimilated a network of followers, maybe it could use them as a small army proxies to act on its behalf." I suggested, which made everyone around me feel uneasy, and understandably so.

"Think that Guardian weirdo picked up some humans because they were immune to his effects?" Duke suggested.

"We can be turned into black statues. Neerav could tell you all about that if he could still speak." I responded as Duke grumbled.

"Makes me wondered why he even bothered summoning us then!" He said angrily, though I assumed that it was partially because of his heightened emotions in his new body.

"I can only assume it was a bit of a hail-Mary, but we should still help these people. Besides, good luck getting home without Serge." My sister responded.

"Right…speaking of Serge, that's the summoner's name, right?" He asked as we confirmed it. "So, did Serge tell you about The Fountain of Salmacis?"

"Fantastic song, one of my favourites. Guess my kidnapper might not be completely vile after all!" I replied with a smirk on my face. Unfortunately, Duke looked rather puzzled at this.

"…It's a literal fountain." Duke responded.

"Shame…" Melinda said as we smiled at each other from the corner of our eyes.

"Anyway, he was telling me about it as something that could be used against The Devourer, but he got cut off, and five seconds later, wham! New body, new world!" I looked at Melinda who just shrugged. Seemed like this was news to her as well.

"Shit…all I heard was that someone build that place a very long time ago. It helped…somehow against The Devourer back in the day, but, like I said, cut off before I could get some proper info on it. Might be worth looking for." Duke said, bouncing slightly on the spot.

"If it's from ancient times, then I'm sure the fountain is long gone. That continent is far beneath the waves now, and it's been thoroughly searched. Even if it's still there, the special water or whatever it is would have just mixed with the ocean. This is just a dead end, since there's been no trace of any activity from the ancient civilization on the other continents." Audrey said, clearly still thinking about it. "Wonder if it was mentioned in some of the text I had yet to translate?" She continued, taking out her notebook and looking at it in detail. From here, I could recognize that she copied down some of the ancient Greek text.

"I'm really missing the internet right now. Could translate a lot of this stuff or find out what or who Salmacis is." I said as Melinda chimed in.

"Genesis clearly knew about who or what it is, so I think we can assume it's related to ancient Greece and the first people to arrive on this world." My sister said, and while this was a good train of logic, it just led us to a dead end since neither of us were well versed in Greek history.

"I really should have never made fun of Tony for taking an ancient Greek course…" I muttered to myself, realising that Audrey was our only hope for the ancient Greek clues. "How long will translating that take you?"

"No idea, possibly weeks." Audrey said as I rolled my eyes.

"We might not have 'weeks' with The Devourer getting bolder, and the three of us have no intentions of dying on this planet." I said firmly gesturing to Melinda and Duke behind me.

"Well, if none of you understand this, then you should just leave me to it and try to help in some other area." Audrey replied, and I found that I couldn't disagree.

"Heinrich, surely you know of something else that could help us?" I asked as the rhyperior thought about it.

"We could try and find Entei and Raikou again, and this time be a little bolder when speaking to them. We could really use some more muscle. However, if we choose our words wrong, well, they have been known to kill those who offend them. They're supremely arrogant and see others as beneath them." Heinrich said, and needless to say, I didn't like this plan.

"Imagine how bad it'll be if The Devourer recruits them?" Audrey said as my blood ran cold just thinking about it.

"If I were an alien wanting to conquer this planet, I'd be recruiting the most powerful people on this world. Those two sound like candidates." I said somewhat quietly.

"Exactly, which is why we need to try and find them and make sure they're working with us, and not against us. From what I heard, we wouldn't stand a chance if they tried to murder us." Audrey said, and while I sort of agreed with her, I'd rather not see those two at all.

"I hate this, but knowing you, you'll just go try to find them on your own if we all vote against it, right?" I said as Melinda smirked at me.

"Basil, you know that's impossible, because I know all too well you wouldn't let me go alone." She replied.

"Fuck's sake…" I muttered under my breath. "Well, maybe I can use the weapon to bail us out of trouble if it comes to that."

"I wouldn't count on that working." Heinrich said, and true to his word, I wasn't. I knew it was just a tool that had a _chance_ of getting us out of a dire situation. "Still, if you're insistent on this, then I'll come with you. There's been rather frequent sightings of Raikou in the plains just a couple of miles west from here. We have just enough time to do so before it gets dark. Duke, you should come with us too."

"How about all of us go?" I suggested. "If we do encounter this thing, I'd rather we'd be able to win a fight through sheer numbers if it came to blows. Almost everyone respects an adequate show of force."

"I doubt he'll entertain a talk with us if he recognizes us as being stronger. Raikou and his two brothers are notoriously vain and arrogant." Heinrich said, as I began thinking for a moment.

"Think he'll recognize and respect a human, or perhaps Serge?" I asked as the rhyperior shrugged.

"It's why I suggested it. Then again, it's hard to prove we're human, but regardless, if we can at least warn him, it'll hopefully be enough to make sure we don't have to deal with him some time down the line." Melinda said before looking around and counting us all.

"Well, if Melinda's determined to do this, I'll be coming too. I'd say taking the three of us and Charlie will be for the best." I suggested, wanting to keep Nisbeth, Murphy and Duke out of trouble.

"I don't want you facing that beast, Basil. Not without me." Nisbeth said as Charlie waved at us.

"I'll, uh, try to help Audrey then…" He said, collapsing on a chair.

"Right, so that's four of us then. Potentially pushing it, but I think Raikou may be willing to speak to us." Heinrich said as he showed the three of us the door.

"Make sure Murphy and Duke are doing ok you two." I called over to Audrey and Charlie as we left them behind at Heinrich's place. Looking back at the town behind it, it was far prettier than anywhere on Broussard, though given the natives here don't speak English on the whole, it might have been for the best that we didn't land here upon arrival. The path through the valley was surprisingly short as the sun started to slowly approach the horizon behind us. My feet were likely getting used to all this walking by now, as they seemed to be slowly toughening up from constantly being pressed on the ground beneath me. If anything, this 'holiday' has been great for my fitness so far, though I somehow doubted that would transfer back to my human body.

"Ah, does that road there lead to New _Zürich_?" Melinda asked, pointing down the path.

"Naw, it goes to Syrinx!" I said cheekily, pointing to the sign that she must have saw.

"Good luck getting in there though. Not that you'd want to with the prices they charge for even the most basic of necessities." Heinrich said as I chuckled slightly.

"I guess some things really haven't changed." I said, and shortly afterwards I noticed another sign on the side of the path.

"So, does this Raikou live here?" I asked, pointing to said sign. "'These plains are mine. Trespassers will be forcefully evicted and, upon resistance, will be killed.' Look, as much as I don't want this guy hounding us later on, I especially don't want him wanting us dead now."

"This wasn't here a few days ago…" Heinrich said, staring at the sign which was crudely written. "Also, Raikou doesn't have arms, so he couldn't have written it."

"Well, that settles it then. We're going back, no need to risk our lives like this. He clearly knows about The Devourer and has become paranoid, and I can't even blame him." Nisbeth said, already looking at the path behind him.

"Seems like such a waste since we came all the way out here, and besides, if we can convince him to join us, we can get a very powerful ally." Melinda said, as I inhaled through my teeth. This was becoming borderline reckless of her, something that Omar took full advantage of in the finals. "Besides, he said 'forcefully evict' as long as we don't resist. Maybe we can explain our case as we're being chased out."

"You could get us all killed you selfish cow!" Nisbeth suddenly said loudly as I glared at him.

"Don't speak to my sister like that again." I said firmly, glaring at him through narrowed eyes. Nisbeth looked like he was about to say something in response, but he managed to catch himself before he said a thing. It told me what I needed to know, however, and for the sake of group cohesion, it was best that we stay silent.

"…We could just walk on a while and pretend we never saw the sign. What do you think Heinrich?" She asked as I hoped that he'd help the three of us talk some sense into her.

"I'm trying to figure out why he'd try to fence off these grasslands…" He replied as I thought about it too.

"Seems like a daft choice really. All he's effectively done is put a spotlight on himself saying 'Look at me! I'm all alone! No one can help me if I'm outmatched!' So either he doesn't know, or he's just stupid." I said, though as I looked at Melinda as I mentioned these words, I would come to regret them.

"So we need to go there and inform or talk sense into him!" Melinda said as I shook my head vigorously.

"I'd much rather live thank you very much!" I said firmly. "Nisbeth's right, we should just leave."

"Look, if The Devourer can forcibly recruit people to his side, would you want to wait and deal with him when he can turn us all into black statues? He's clearly left himself vulnerable." She said as Nisbeth walked up to her.

"I'm not setting a foot in that field. I don't care what you do, I'm not going to risk myself for this. I want to make this absolutely clear." He said, speaking very slowly, annunciating every word he spoke.

"This really is just a lot of speculation Mel'. We might be off this continent before The Devourer even notices him. Besides, we don't know if The Devourer can force Raikou to go on a rampage anyway." I said, as she finally seemed hesitant about all of this.

"…That being said, Raikou could also contact his brothers, maybe get them on side too. We stand to gain a lot here. Besides, even if things take a turn for the worst, Basil can teleport us out." She said as I looked at the weapon. It didn't have the biggest range, and if Raikou was quick, then all the trickery I could pull off with this thing might not save us.

"I guess fleeing isn't an option?" I asked as Heinrich gave a nervous smile.

"He is said to be one of the fastest pokemon alive." He responded as I shrugged.

"Well, we've looked into all avenues, and it's impossible." I said, though Melinda had one final idea.

"Ok, fine, maybe you're right. However, we can walk down this path and see if we can spot him in the distance. We won't be in his field, so he has no reason to get angry at us." She said as I glanced over at the sign again.

"That depends on how you interpret his message, but…say, Heinrich, is the guy at all reasonable?" I asked as he nodded.

"Well, I walked in here a few days ago with Duke and he just told us to leave. I can't imagine he'd try to kill us on walking beside his field." He said. I still wasn't in favour of this, but I couldn't think of a way to talk Melinda out of this. Guess we were going along with her less dangerous plan.

"Ok then, if it's all settled then, Heinrich, care to lead the way?" I asked, knowing that he knew these lands better than I did. I suppose I'd be protesting alongside Nisbeth, but If Raikou got in touch with The Devourer, there's a good chance that he already knew Duke was human, which could lead him right to Melinda and I. Once that happened, there'd be no talking him out of trying to murder us.

"Now, I swear, if Raikou becomes hostile…well, I just hope we'll still be alive for me to give you a piece of my mind…" Nisbeth grumbled to Melinda as a nice cool breeze brushed against the side of my face. My sister mostly ignored him, as we kept peering around for any signs of this strange beast in the approaching twilight. The faint outline of the moon could be seen, and not too far away from it, a second one could barely be seen. I wondered where we were in relation to planet Earth.

"So…what does he look like?" I asked Heinrich as I had to duck from almost getting whacked by his tail by accident.

"Taller than me, mostly yellow, walks on all fours. You'll know it if you see him." He said as we kept looking. Night would soon be here, and after about twenty minutes or so of walking on this path, I began to get a little disillusioned.

"I'm with Nisbeth here, I think we should just turn back." I said, as I began to find it hard to see above the grass, which was growing incredibly tall by this point.

"I agree. As big as he is, we might not see him in the darkness anyway." Heinrich said as Nisbeth, who was starting to look really tense by this point, sighed quite loudly.

"Finally, some common sense and self-preservation." He said and immediately did an about turn and started walking down the dirty path, back to where we came from.

"Well, I won't do this alone…" Melinda said, sounding disappointed. "Still, if there's nothing happening tomorrow, we can try again, can't we?"

"I'd rather not!" Nisbeth said back to her, looking over his shoulder as he continued striding away from us, prompting us three to catch up.

"That toxicroak really doesn't care at all, does he…" Melinda muttered quietly as we caught up. Thankfully, it seemed like a clear and starry night, so while we'd be walking home in the dark, we'd still have a bit of visibility. Hopefully, this meant we wouldn't stub our feet on a rock, or get ambushed by some interloper.

"If you want to check this place out tomorrow, fine by me, but you're doing it without Basil and I." He said about ten minutes later as I looked up at him, narrowing one of my eyes. I agreed with him, but I didn't want him making these sort of decisions for me.

"…I don't think we will either." Melinda said as she pointed to her left across the field with her bone. Looking over to where she gestured, it was unmistakable. From here, it looked not too unlike a humungous pyroar, though further details were hard to make out from this distance, aside from what seemed to be a mane streaming behind its head in the wind. Quite majestic, yet it was clearly not someone I wanted to get on the wrong side of.

We just seemed to stare at each other for what must have been an entire minute, neither of us making a move. My breathing became a little erratic as I reached for the weapon. Looking down the path, I wondered how long we had to go until we were out of this blasted field. Would Raikou follow us out? I barely knew what this creature was, let alone what it wanted. Gazing quickly from side to side, I looked at my friends. Melinda looked like she was trying to figure out what to say, and Nisbeth looked ready to make a break for it.

"…I told you not to return!" Raikou suddenly roared at us, in a gravelly, yet forceful voice. The sudden shout made me jump slightly as I clutched the weapon tightly. At least that beast didn't know what this wooden stick could do, but given his voice was powerful enough for me to actually feel it from this distance, I doubted it'd be effective at all. Heinrich stalled slightly and poked Melinda on the shoulder. She looked up at him briefly, then back to Raikou, who was slowly approaching us.

"Sorry, Mr Raikou, but we've come to warn you about The Devourer." She said, getting straight to the point.

"…The Devourer?" He replied in a slightly quieter voice, tilting his head slightly with curiosity.

"The one behind the plague of black statues." Melinda told him. Raikou still seemed oblivious to all this, but if that was the case, why would the sign…

"I don't like this…" I muttered very quietly to her, barely moving my head so Raikou couldn't see that I was communicating. "We should be ready to leg it."

"This creature may be operating through other pokemon." Heinrich said as to not stall out the conversation too much. Nice save; I swear that large beast was starting to look a little twitchy. Holding the weapon behind my back, I hoped there'd be a way to teleport all four of us at once a good distance away with it. Maybe if everyone held onto me, it would work. Maybe…

"We aren't sure how it does so, but we recommend coming with us. We're trying to destroy this thing, and we need all the help we can get. Surely, someone as mighty as you would be a pivotal asset in this fight." I said loudly, trying to keep my suspicions hidden.

"Lower myself to helping such short lived pokemon?!" Raikou scoffed. Melinda looked rather angry at this, but wisely kept her thoughts to herself. "I will heed your warning however. You can aid me by making some signs to warn of would-be trespassers to my field. I will also request that you close off the path as well."

"Someone already did that for you." Melinda said as Raikou stalled slightly. The wind was slowly picking up, brushing against the fur on my body as I began to get increasingly restless.

"Well, if that's the case, then there will be no need of your service. Please, return from whence you came." Raikou said in an oddly polite manner. I had no plans of ever letting my eyes off this thing until we were reunited with the others. Raikou too seemed to be keeping an eye on us, keeping pace with our slow steps.

"You three…keep a hand on me, and keep walking." I said quietly so the beast wouldn't overhear us. Holding the weapon in front of me, I scanned for spots I could teleport us all to. That large boulder looked out of range, so I guess I had no choice but to try and aim the weapon so that there wouldn't be a painful drop after my shot reached its maximum range. I slowly started speeding up in both my pace and my breathing as I grabbed Melinda's arm, trusting her to make sure I didn't wander into the tall grasses by myself. Raikou kept pace, his eyes glued to all four of us.

"Escorting us out or something?" I asked as Raikou nodded.

"Just making sure you're actually leaving." He replied in a low voice as his eyes narrowed. I gulped as he stared right at me, wondering how all this fit together.

"Of course we are, there's nothing else here except for yourself, and we already effectively ended our conversation." I said back to him, still keeping in pace with the others.

"Did you take South or East entrance to get here?" He said as I stalled for a moment. Seems odd for him to ask something like that. Surely simply telling us where the quickest way out would be more rational, but before I could conjure a response, Heinrich spoke up.

"The East, so we'll be leaving by that path." He replied as Raikou lowered his head ever so slightly.

"I see…" He said, his voice sounding oddly quiet now for such an imposing creature. I doubted he asked just out of simple curiosity, and I started begging internally that Heinrich gave him an answer that would pacify Raikou. However, I began to strongly doubt this when I swore that little jolts of electricity started to spark off his body. I knew all too well what he was about to try and do now, as the saliva seemed to evaporate on the spot inside my mouth.

"Hold on and run with me." I said, my voice croaking slightly as I activated the weapon immediately afterwards. In less than half a second, I already found my feet about a meter above the ground and a good distance away from Raikou. Not bad, and the landing didn't hurt much. However, any pain I received now could surely become very brief as I heard Raikou roar in fury from behind us. A quick glance over my shoulder saw the terrible beast wreathed in lightning that dispelled the encroaching twilight around us.

"Why'd you draw us into this?!" I heard Nisbeth screech angrily as I warped us once more, but Raikou was so fast that we were barely gaining any ground on this guy. It suddenly dawned on me that, unless our pursuer had almost no stamina, he'd catch up real soon. I don't now how many more times I could teleport us with the weapon, but it couldn't have been too many.

"Heinrich, throw me to the side, and throw me far!" I yelled. Maybe I could disorientate Raikou by swapping places with him. It worked before with assailants, so it could work now? I had my doubts, but it had to be worth a shot. The rhyperior, who was already starting to lag behind, put his trust in me and picked me in one of his hands. I must have weighed almost nothing to such a huge pokemon as he suddenly threw me over to the left with great force. The world spun slightly as I was flung into the air as I tried to get my bearings. As soon as I landed, I needed to be ready.

I yelped slightly as I landed hard on my back, thankful that the grass and soft earth somewhat cushioned my fall. I pushed myself up to my feet immediately and quickly spotted the four of them. I heard Nisbeth still yelling about something, even amongst the roaring of the fast approaching Raikou. I needed to make this count. Aiming the weapon steadily, I fired it right at Raikou, just as he looked ready to tear Heinrich to pieces.

My body suddenly lurched when I found myself right behind the rhyperior. I got him! Now, we had to escape! Maybe if I can teleport us all once more, would we be out of the field? Would that murderous animal just give up once we were out of its territory?

"Once more!" I said, pointing the weapon ahead of us once everyone put their hand on me.

Nothing. I was completely dry of warp powder.

"Oh no…just run!" I screamed as we all continued to flee. Sadly, Raikou figured out where we were rather quickly and continued to hound us. I couldn't think of a thing now, I was out of options! Could we fight this thing? I could maybe still try to blast its head, but with all that electricity surrounding it, it would likely just cause the weapon to explode in my hands! I was essentially useless here!

"So, The Guardian of Forever specifically needs humans…run on ahead, I'll slow him down." Heinrich said, slowing to a standstill and turning around. "I guess there's always a small chance I'll survive…"

"Not a chance! I've been brought here to save you all, and that includes you!" Melinda declared also turning to face Raikou, but Nisbeth was having none of it.

"We heard what he said, let's just get out of here!" He said, grabbing her by the arm. She looked ready to protest but Raikou was almost upon Heinrich by now, barely even being phased by the barrage of small boulders being hurled at him. This wasn't a fight we could win, even if all four of us attacked at once. A shame it had to end like this, but the three of us had to live.

"Despicable!" Melinda yelled, though whether at Raikou, Nisbeth or herself, I couldn't quite tell. The three of us could move much faster as a group, and while we were able to gain some ground and leave the field, we couldn't escape the sound of screaming, thunder, and, later, what sounded like the crunching and cracking of rock. I didn't even want to look at what Raikou did to that rhyperior. I only wanted to avoid a similar fate.

"Maybe we can lose him amongst those trees ahead." Nisbeth said as my comparatively smaller legs started to tighten up with pain in their efforts to keep up with my swifter friends. The toxicroak in front of me noticed this as he quickly picked me up and held me over his shoulder. "I'll get you out of here, I promise." He said as I stared behind him at Raikou, who looked like he just finished his savage murder of Heinrich. I didn't think this would work, but I pointed the weapon at him anyway. Maybe its protection I applied could stop it from blowing up in my face, and maybe one good point blank blast to his face could dissuade him. A fool's hope maybe, but it was all I had.

As we left the field, it became clear that he wasn't just zealously just defending his territory, and would catch up in seconds. I guess Serge really would have be getting us killed indirectly after all. That bastard. Guess this would be a funny tale to tell of how I died should there be an afterlife waiting for me I guess.

"Raikou! I'll see you with Serge in whatever afterlife we end up in! Come forth and die!" I screamed at him, getting ready to fire once he was in range.

"That won't be happening tonight Basil!" I heard Melinda said. I couldn't see what she was planning on doing since I was far too focused on a desperate blast on the beast, though I did notice a swelling of that eerie pale green fire to my left. I felt the searing heat from it too, and as Nisbeth pulled away from her a bit, I could see her surrounded by those flames. Even at this distance, I would have gotten heatstroke in mere seconds, yet she seemed absolutely fine. How could she even tolerate such temperatures, let alone even generate them?!

I could see her speaking to herself, though the sound of the flames mixed in with the furious roaring of Raikou made it impossible to tell what it was. She suddenly leapt high in the air, and I was shocked by this display of athleticism. Ten feet, twenty feet…before she suddenly landed down right in front of Raikou, planting her bone right in the ground. As soon as she crashed onto the earth beneath her, flames erupted from the ground, rising even higher than her mighty leap. They extended to the left and extended to the right, forming a mighty, literal firewall as far as my eyes could see. The sudden blast of heat was so intense almost knocked Nisbeth off his feet, and had to use a nearby boulder to support us. Being used to wetter environments, it made him feel rather weak and ill upon a quick glance. Better that than dead at least!

Melinda turned around and ran towards us down the path, pointing down it on the way back to town without saying a word. She did however look extremely shocked, both mentally and physically, from that unbelievable stunt she just pulled off. Looking back, I couldn't even see Raikou behind the raging flames. Seems like he wasn't willing to leap through them, and unless he could jump over them, then he'd have a long, long way to get around them.

"How…the fuck?! Mel' that was incredible!" I said after a short while as I was placed on the ground. Our pace slowed slightly to a jog as we began to catch our breath once again.

"This thing here…" She said, showing me that strange red crystal that Duke handed her. "It almost tore my body apart, but the dividing line I made right there…if only I thought about it before…poor Heinrich."

"You feeling ok?" I said, seeing her stagger a bit.

"I hope so…I can see why these things are illegal. Basil, remind me to be quicker when using this again. I could have saved Heinrich if only I thought of it sooner!" She replied, sounding rather angry and upset with herself. "He'd be alive if I wasn't so god damn slow!"

"Melinda; all four of us would have been torn to pieces if it weren't for you. Please don't beat yourself up too much, you're doing an excellent job." I said, trying to comfort her, though it seemed like Nisbeth wasn't too impressed.

"You know, Heinrich didn't have to die. I told you. I told all of you! I told you all that this was a terrible idea! Seeking out a temperamental beast like that for help! What did you _think_ was going to happen?! If we just stayed where we were then he'd still be alive!" Nisbeth said, half snarling at my sister.

"I already explained why Nisbeth! What would you be doing all this time?! Just sitting indoors and hoping this whole thing blows over?!" She said, turning to look at him.

"It was incredibly lucky that all four of us didn't die horribly back there! To think what would have happened if you didn't get that strange stone from Duke!" Nisbeth said, moving in front of her and walked backwards, staring hard at my sister.

"I took a risk, and, yes, perhaps it backfired, but we're not going to defeat The Devourer by doing nothing! If we did what you'd do, we'd probably all be dead in weeks!" She yelled back, getting angrier by the second.

"You know, ever since I met Basil, he's spoken extremely highly for you. He pretty much dedicated everything he had to try and find you. To think your recklessness almost got _him_ killed! Does that even phase you?!" He said, their conversation getting more and more heated.

"Of course it does!" She said simply as Nisbeth slowly turned to look at me.

"I wouldn't be too sure whether to trust her or not. As much as you adore her, it's clear that Melinda does not have your best interest in mind at all." Nisbeth said and stormed off ahead of us.

"…And it's clear to me that he doesn't have his planet's interest in mind." She muttered as we followed the irritated toxicroak. Regardless, what Nisbeth said bothered me ever so slightly. It's clear that she's very determined to stop The Devourer, but how far would she go? Would she even use me as a bargaining chip if it was needed? No, she wouldn't. She'd be at my side throughout this whole affair.

"Just let him cool down a bit. This has been horribly stressful for all of us." I said as she looked down at me.

"Suppose it's a good thing you two found each other. He seems to really care about you." She said and sighed. "Just wish he cared more about our efforts to make sure he can live safely in the long term. Short sighted idiot…"

"I guess…" I muttered to myself.

"Say, Basil, I may have to unleash The Dividing Line again at some point. If my body can't take it and it tears me apart, or if I die in some other manner, promise me you'll continue fighting The Devourer for me, won't you?" She said as I nodded.

"Anything for you Mel'." I replied as she looked up at the darkening sky.

"The world's much bigger than you or I, but when one person dies, I guess a small part of the world dies with it. I don't want The Devourer to kill anyone more. Not you, not I, not anyone." She said, which didn't make me feel too good.

"You know that's probably not going to be possible right? There are vile bastards all over this world, and you can't be everywhere at once." I said back to her as she sighed.

"Well, it's no excuse to not, at the very least, try our best. I still could have done so much better back there…" She said, trailing off a bit before perking herself up again. "Don't worry about what that toxicroak says: I'm not going to make you into bargaining chips or whatever he said. I'll get us both home after all this is done."

"…Only after this is all blown over?" I asked as she nodded firmly at me. Would it really be in my place to drag her home to Earth when she wanted to kill The Devourer here? I couldn't be sure. Maybe she wasn't in the right mind after all her time here. I was starting to lose track of how many brushes with death I've had by now, and I was all too aware that I'd probably have another one in the not-too distant future.

I wasn't going to stand around and be useless for my two friends here, or Murphy. They've done so much for me, and I hope I've done great things for them too. I couldn't stand the idea of letting any of them die! Leaving them on this danger infested world would be effectively signing their death warrant. I'd be a horrible person if I did that! I couldn't live without them! They're coming home, and if Melinda never forgives me, then I'll take solace in the fact that she'd still be alive, even if she would never want to see me again! Raikou came _that_ close to ending it all for us three! It can't happen again.

"I think I'm gonna need some of Charlie's booze when we get back…" I muttered to myself as we caught up with Nisbeth. It seemed like Raikou had completely given up on us, but we were still very cautious given there were many people out there who'd happily see our heads on pikes.

"So…why do you think Raikou wanted us dead?" Nisbeth asked, looking like he cooled of over the whole thing.

"Either he's indecisively territorial or he's in league with The Devourer. If it's the latter, then I wonder just how far that alien's tendrils go. Also, it would seem like he's already got some powerful allies." Melinda said when I thought of something.

"He didn't seem to try to turn us into one of those black statues though. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for that, but it doesn't quite add up." I said when I remembered something that Heinrich said. "That being said, poor ol' Heinrich did say that one of his friends tried to kill him in his sleep. Now we've seen several cases of this. It's possible that not everyone working for this creepy bastard doesn't have that statue power."

"I did hear from Jirachi before you two arrived in Newer Orleans that Raikou and his two brothers are hundreds of years old. Maybe age just made them really, well, you get the idea." My sister said, but one thing was clear: We weren't going to interview Raikou to find out why.

"Hope nothing happened in Thalnacht when we were gone." I said as Melinda suddenly looked at me.

"Don't say things like that!" She said, sounding worried.

"You made the choice to drag us out here you know." Nisbeth said, causing me to stand between them since it looked like Melinda was about to have another go at him.

"If you two don't stop getting at each other's throats…" I said, not able to think of a good way to finish the sentence. "Oh, look at that, we're almost there!" I pointed to the lights of the town ahead. Seemed like nothing obvious was amiss from here, and when we entered, it seemed like business as usual. Still, I wasn't looking forward to breaking the news to Charlie. Unlike the last time I had to break the news of someone's passing, the recipient of this information was about three times my size, perpetually drunk and had vast electrical power. Not good.

"So…who's gonna break the news to Charlie?" I said as Nisbeth pointed at my sister.

"She's known him longer than us. I reckon she could find a way to not make things messy." He said as Melinda narrowed her eyes at him.

"Or it's because that if anyone has to bear the brunt of a grief-stricken ampharos, it should be me, simply because you don't like me. I'm not stupid, but I suppose I'll do it anyway." She said through slightly gritted teeth.

"Well, we might not have to right away; the lights are out in Heinrich's place." I said, pointing at the empty looking building on the path ahead of us. Strangely enough, the door was unlocked, so we let ourselves in. A note was lying on the table in front of us so, naturally, we decided to have a read.

" _Just checking out a rumour of some event that happened north of here. If we're not back by the time you do, we shouldn't be far behind. Sorry for leaving your place unlocked, I'll make it up by getting us a drink of six._

 _Charlie."_

"Well, seems like they're also helping us." Melinda said, though I started becoming concerned for Murphy's safety.

"What if they don't come back within the next few hours or something. They could be in trouble, or worse, for all we know." I suggested as Nisbeth threw himself on Heinrich's old comfy chair.

"They said they'd be coming back. No point on going on a wild goose chase right now. Just sit tight until the morning, that's what I think." He said, looking like he was ready to fall asleep. "Charlie and Audrey seem tougher than us anyway, I'm sure Murphy and that human will be fine."

"I guess you're right…" I said, taking out some water from my bag. I didn't feel too comfortable however, as I couldn't help but wonder how Murphy was doing. We didn't have to wait too long for some news to arrive as the three of us jumped in our skin at the surprise of the door being suddenly flung open.

"Duke?!" I said loudly as I lowered the weapon, realising it was safe.

"I…I'm here too!" Murphy said behind him as I ran over to give my friend a hug.

"Glad to see you're fine! What's the news anyway?" I asked the two scared looking pokemon.

"We were separated from Charlie and Audrey." Duke said, looking over his shoulder.

"Well I guessed that much. What actually happened?" Nisbeth said as Murphy looked very pale.

"I think we found it…or it found us." Shortly after he said this, I saw a brief flash of light pierce the darkness like lightning, except it seemed to come from behind the mountains as opposed from the sky. It vanished as soon as it arrived, and seeing the look on Murphy's and Duke's face, I began to fear the worst.

"It's The Devourer."


	22. Hiding Out

Pokemon: Incarnation

Chapter 22: Hiding Out

"Well, that settles it. I'm off back to Broussard!" Nisbeth said after a lengthy and uncomfortable pause.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Melinda replied, sounding very snappy.

"That it's my 'duty' or something hokey like that? That's not going to work. Come with me if you want to live Basil; you'll soon die or wish you were dead if you stay here." He said while my sister rolled my eyes.

"They have most of our money. You'd never be able to afford the trip back." She said as Nisbeth paused for a second before angrily kicking over a stool. He swore loudly before diving onto Heinrich's old couch looking as furious as he did terrified.

"This is what I get for chasing my old dream! I should have known! It could be my last mistake…" Nisbeth said as he stared out of the dark window.

"Well, I've already let one person die through incompetence, but I'll be damned if I let someone die through negligence! Gather what you need quickly; we're going to find Audrey and Charlie and see if we can do a thing against The Devourer! Just…well, there'll probably be no convincing you Nisbeth, so just do whatever you want." She said, her tone slowly becoming rather spiteful.

"If you want to become a black statue, I won't stop you." He replied, clearly thinking about finding a good place to hide.

"We'll need to know roughly where they are. Murphy, where about did you get separated from them? There's a map about a minute's walk from here." I said. Did I want to go looking for them with The Devourer out there? Absolutely not, but if we were strong-armed into it, I'd want to do it right. No fuck-ups this time.

"I…I can't go back there." He replied, still looking shell-shocked from his experience.

"At this rate, this planet will get what it deserves…" My sister said, my eyes widening at such a dark gesture. "Sorry, I just…I could really use your help."

"Ok, I'll point it out." The heliolisk said as he shyly lead us out of the house to the map at the street corner. This small town wasn't as well lit as Newer Orleans, so we had to rely on Melinda using some of her flames to brighten it up.

"That's barely more than half an hour away. Come on, no time to lose!" Melinda said, gesturing us to follow.

"Was nice knowing you Melinda…" Nisbeth responded through gritted teeth. "I'll tell you this again: I reckon your sister will end up getting you killed at this rate."

"It's absolutely foolish of her, yes, but she's my sister. She stands a better chance of surviving if I'm with her. You can figure out the rest." I said before Nisbeth suddenly grabbed me, holding me tight to his chest as my legs dangled as my feet left the ground.

"I've watched too many good folk die back home! I'm not going to…let…I'm not letting you die too Basil!" He said loudly as he put me over his shoulder and started storming off in the other direction. He completely ignored my protests as he stormed towards the way we initially entered Thalnacht, muttering about a good hiding spot. I couldn't really do anything to slow Nisbeth down, given he was twice as tall as me and at least four times as well built. I saw Murphy follow us from behind, clearly wanting no part in all of this either.

"W-wait, with what Melinda said. We won't be getting off this continent without their money." He said, dashing in front of Nisbeth to speak to him.

"We can think about that _after_ The Devourer goes away. I reckon it can cross continents anyway, so it won't stay here forever." He responded, keeping his quick strides as we left the town. Guess now was a good a time as any to scream in his hear to get his attention.

"And do you think they'll give us the cash if we abandon them?!" I yelled right by his head, causing Nisbeth to jump slightly in shock. "And as for getting a job to get the money, I think the employers will be more concerned about how they and their business can survive The Devourer's plague of statues more than looking for new recruits! So, put me the fuck down Nisbeth!"

"You really are that determined to make sure Melinda's doing fine, aren't you." Nisbeth said, putting me down and looking exasperated. "Reminds me of some people I knew..."

"You don't have to go into that right now, since I'm more worried about-" I said, but it seemed like a certain entity was more than happy to finish my sentence. A sudden loud, droning sound came out of the blue, causing us all to jump in our skin. It sounded like sort of like glass being crushed by a bin lorry underneath a murmuring groan, as if some barely conscience animals were also being squashed to a bloody mess. A sudden bright light dispelled the darkness, now much closer to us when we last saw it. It was here, and it had gotten bold.

Murphy looked like he simply had enough of it all. His entire body was trembling, even after the sudden light vanished, although his legs seemed to stand firm. Without a moment's notice, he suddenly turned around and dashed headlong into the darkness before any of us could say a word. I wanted to follow and help him dearly, yet he was already out of sight, and there was no way I could catch up with him. Duke was hopping madly on the spot, looking like he was about to follow suit.

"There's little cover out there. If we're going to hide, then we're best doing so here." I said, wishing I thought of that earlier before Murphy ran off. I bit my slip in stress to avoid freaking out over what could happen to Murphy or my sister, but I had no clue where either of them went off to. I couldn't control of influence their fates at all now, and the crushing feeling of uselessness started to set in. Murphy was an extremely fast runner, maybe he could simply get to safety through speed alone. Couldn't say the same for Melinda. If I somehow get her out of this, I'll probably have to try and convince her to do everything I say for her own safety by this point.

The town by this point had been completely overridden by raw terror. Whether they knew exactly what was on their doorstep or not, who could tell. Regardless, they could surely tell how alien it was, and that no one had a clue about how to deal with it. Pokemon of all sizes were fleeing Thalnacht in droves if they weren't locking themselves indoors. Nisbeth had to yank me away from some of the larger stampeding pokemon, some of them causing small cracks in the poorly made road beneath them. I saw a poor cinccino get trampled in the process, and there was nothing we could do about it. It wasn't Melinda I guess, but it was another visceral reminder just how life-or-death this world was. Still, maybe this was an opportunity of some sorts…

"Looks like they're all going down the road Murphy went. Murphy's much faster on his feet than almost all of those pokemon so he'll likely be fine. The Devourer might follow that crowd instead of investigating the town. Maybe we'll be ok." I said in case either Duke or Nisbeth were thinking about joining the stampede. I had no idea what The Devourer was capable of in terms of finding its prey. Could it smell, see, hear or have some unknown sense to tell where potential victims were? I assumed it had to be quite fast, given it could chase Serge around the planet, but that was everything I could speculate on. I just needed the other two to trust me here. I had to scream as Nisbeth to get him in line, but I barely know Duke. Who knows what he would do.

"Behind that house!" Duke suddenly yelled dashed ahead of us, leaping right over the fence. We quickly followed, Nisbeth giving me a leg up as he pressed ourselves against the wall.

"Did you see something?" I said quietly through gritted teeth and peered through the open window. From here, I could see a small part of the street. It seemed to be much quieter now, with only a couple of people scurrying around in a panic. That didn't concern me. What _did_ worry me was that kadabra. It looked way too calm for what was happening right now, as if it didn't notice anything at all was amiss. It did seem rather preoccupied however, twiddling its moustache with his left hand while looking around him, as if he was searching for something, or someone.

"See that kadabra? I think it could be one of them." I whispered to the other two. "He doesn't look frantic or fearful at all, so I doubt he's looking for a loved one." I started to put some different sorts of powder into the weapon to get it ready. I'd surely be needing this before the night is done.

"It shouldn't be able to detect us. Only the strongest of alakazams can tell for sure whether someone's behind a solid wall or not using their psychic abilities." Duke said, twitching constantly. That restlessness of his could get us exposed if he couldn't keep it under control, and I slowly started to become grateful that I became a meowstic and not a pokemon with all these different problems.

"The Devourer can make your average pokemon do some freaky shit. Who knows what it's capable of. See that house there?" I said, pointing to one a little further out from the town centre. "Make your way over there after I give the signal, I'm going to put this guy down. I'll teleport after you once I'm done."

"How do you know if he's one of them or not? Maybe he's just a weirdo. You could be murdering someone who done no wrong." Duke said quietly as I shrugged.

"Better safe than sorry. I don't want to risk this guy being a problem later. Melinda and the others are out there, and the less of these Devourer loyalists, the better." I said as Duke looked rather disgusted, and even Nisbeth looked a little disturbed. "Look, he probably won't be any help, let's be honest here."

"Basil, just in case you need reminded…you are talking about murdering someone who, as far as we can tell, has done absolutely nothing to warrant it. You sick motherfuker." Duke said as I took a couple of steps towards him.

"I will do whatever is needed to make sure the ones I love get out of this alive…including knowing when to back down." I said, looking to see that the kadabra was moving on from here. Duke was right, even about the 'sick motherfucker' part. I was getting carried away here, and to think I even considered an unprovoked murder…Melinda would never speak to me again if she caught me in the act. Had to keep a level head, I couldn't afford any irrational mistakes, else all three of us could be dead or worse.

Dashing behind the other house, I considered ways I could find Melinda. I know she went to the North somehow, so hiding around that side of town felt like a good idea. I didn't even want to think about the possibility of her already being found by one of 'them'. Suddenly, that scathing, crunching roar sounded again, sounding so loud this time that I reflexively dropped to my knees to fore my ears shut, even more than they already were. That terrible, terrible sound…it was painful, physically painful. I could feel it all over my body, and for a moment of true, distilled terror, I thought I was going to become one of those black statues. I still seemed to be my usual, fleshy self after the ordeal, as did my two comrades.

"…Think it knows we're here?" Nisbeth whispered to me after several agonizingly tense seconds. Neither of them seemed willing to dare to take a peek, but we had to figure out where that horrific beast was heading. After our ears had recovered from that assault, I could hear the lowest of hums, which sounded like computer fans if they were highly distorted. It made my skin crawl, but that was the least of our worries. It was real close now, and I was wondering if I had made a terrible mistake by not running when I had the chance. No matter, I'd have to make the best of this somehow. Nisbeth and a fellow human decided to trust me, and I wasn't willing to let either of them two die horribly to that fiend!

The darkness was slowly being dispelled, with some kind of light seeping through the windows. Didn't seem like a flickering flame causing it, yet it had the faintest of yellow tinges to it. I'd say it looked like it was from a street light, yet there was something unearthly about it that I couldn't quite put my finger on. That dreadful humming was growing in volume slowly, it sounded so close by now! To my left, I could see Duke was using all of his willpower to not scream and flee recklessly. The poor guy was twitching on the spot, digging his claws into his arm out of the insurmountable stress, mouthing off words silently as he rocked back and forth slightly. Poor sod, he didn't deserve to get dragged into all this.

If push came to shove, maybe I could jump to where the other two are and try and teleport us behind another building to confuse it, though saying it would be a long shot would be putting it mildly. If I strained my hearing, I swore I could hear the whispers of a small crowd coming from the other side of the building, only to be silenced by a barrage of an outburst of piercing static. Was The Devourer some kind of machine? What did it just do? Would I even be able if I was able to get a good look at it? Meanwhile, Duke snapped. The poor guy simply couldn't stand it any more and dashed off between a couple of houses and out of sight. I heard those frantic, heavy footsteps clearly, which left one question that could decide the fate of my life: Did The Devourer also hear them?

I didn't hear much aside from that terrible hum and those eerie whispers. Did it hear Duke? Was it listening out for other sounds? I wanted to follow that vigoroth so badly, just to get anywhere, and I mean _anywhere_ that isn't here. Then, the humming and voices suddenly faded away, as did that strange light. Was it gone? No, I refused to believe it. This must be a trick, a scheme of some kind. Yet, if I refused to move or take a peek, we could be here forever, and even if The Devourer couldn't find me, one of its lackeys would eventually. My mouth became a desert as I slowly put my head to the side of the wall and took a look. I had no real expectations for what a creature this terrible would look like, and even now, I wasn't sure what to make of it.

It was rather huge, which was about the only thing I expected to be, and emitted a faint, sickly yellow glow that occasionally pulsed with a stronger light every other second. Judging by the way the light shining down on the buildings, it must have been at least twenty meters tall, possibly even thirty, yet it seemed to pay no heed to gravity as it hovered in the air with the most minimal of movements. What I assumed must have been its two – no – four wings seemed almost for show, though the massive claws on its thick and somewhat darker legs surely were not, but given what that thing and its soldiers could do, perhaps you might be grateful if they impales you. The only parts of its body that moved much were its swaying tail and its head, which seemed to be looking around for something, or someone. Thankfully, not in my direction. Its entire body was horrifically jagged, with all the cruelty of a serrated dagger, but the thing that looked by far the strangest of all was the only part of its body that wasn't covered in bright or dark shades of that putrid yellow: Those strange spikes and other twisted forms atop its head, of which they were many. They didn't shine at all, and looked like they were a dull red in colour. They twisted and turned slightly, and straining my eyes, they look not too unlike the antlers of a sawbuck in winter, though far grander and more imposing. Few things about this alien made sense to me, and it looked far more foreign than anything I had encountered in either planet I've been on. No doubt about it: I was staring right at The Devourer.

It suddenly moved as it started gliding away further from us as if it had found what it was looking for, and in the distance, I could see it rear up slightly before it let out that ear-piercing distorted static as it completely covered several houses in that dark light its minions could use, except this was far more intense. Whoever was near that beast clearly stood no chance, and after it was done, it floated away quickly, right down the path where Murphy and the stampede went if my bearings were correct. I could do nothing to help Murphy now. Poor guy: I just hope the townsfolk end up being enough of a distraction to get away. After the night ends, I'd be sure to find him, one way or another.

"I'd say 'what the fuck is that?!', but I think I already know…" Nisbeth said, as he moved to peer into the window. "New plan: We search houses and hope they're empty. If they have money, take it and get to any port town that's not Südreiches, since it looks like that…thing's heading there. Anyway, that will give us the money to get out of here."

"Not without Melinda and Murphy. Hopefully Duke too. I agree on the first part though." I replied as he picked me up and put me gently inside the house. The place seemed to be abandoned, as I heard no sounds coming from within, even as Nisbeth rather clumsily landed on the floor, causing a loud thud. "Go upstairs, I'll look down here."

"Seems like this family was kind of rich." Nisbeth said, coming down the stairs after a couple of minutes, clutching some coins in his hand. "I'll be honest though, I've no idea how much this is worth, so I could be way off the mark."

"Shove it in your bag. With The Devourer out of town, I'm going to look for Melinda. I just hope Duke hasn't got himself into trouble while he ran off." I said, looking north and trying to figure out the best way to go. "I just hope she's not desperate enough to actually follow that thing, because I wouldn't put it past her at this rate." I didn't have a problem with stealing here. Their woes aren't really my concern, and besides, they'd probably be happy to just be alive after tonight, if they hadn't been caught by that monster by now that is.

"There's a road we can take that takes us east to a port where hopefully we can afford to get a ride away from this chaos. It goes around the field with Raikou as well, so we'll be as safe as houses. By the standards of Fremdesland at least…" Nisbeth said, looking at a map on a street corner as I kept watch for anyone suspicious. "Looks like it'd take us a full day to get there if we move quickly, so we're probably looking at a ride about the morning after the next."

"Yeah, sounds good…" I muttered, as I kept watch. Didn't seem to be anyone around on the streets by now, though they could be hiding. I just hoped the hiders were friendly…

"This way Nisbeth." I said quietly as we made our way quickly and quietly across the back gardens. Thankfully, the fences were bare enough for me to get through easily or weren't present at all, so our progress travelling North was swift.

"Shh!" Nisbeth suddenly said before grabbing me and leaning against one of the house walls listening closely. A moment later, I heard something being knocked over and a bit of a struggle. A shout later, I heard frantic footsteps coming towards us, so we hid behind the corner to watch two electabuzzes dash out of the back door. However, they didn't get far at all, as a blast of pitch black light suddenly emanated from the doorway, enveloping them in darkness. A mere second later, two black statues stood where the victims once were. One of them looked unbalanced, as if it should have fallen over, yet it stood firm in defiance of gravity itself. Neither of us made a sound, having no desire to be the next victim. However, the assailant didn't appear and closed the door after the deed was done.

Nisbeth and I looked at each other briefly and remained as still as a corpse afterwards, trying to listen for where that freak was going. Shortly, I heard the front door open and it revealed my initial suspicions to be correct; it was that kadabra I saw earlier! I knew it! To think; I could have saved their lives if I just went ahead and tore off half of its face with the weapon, but no matter. I was considering ways I could sneak up and put this threat down for good, but Nisbeth yanked me behind the corner before I could conceive of a good method. He knew I was likely considering it, and didn't want me risking myself like that. Nisbeth merely shook his head and pointed north. I didn't want to push my luck regarding his good will towards me, so I let it slide this time as I lead the way.

"You do realise this will be a wild goose chase and a half Basil, right? They would have gone anywhere, and I reckon screaming their names would be a good way for one of those weirdos to find us." Nisbeth told me, still seeming determined for me to abandon my friends. I admit, combining this with his desire to keep me alive didn't sit all that well with me for some reason. Still, if he was one of them, he had more than enough chances to murder me or whatever happens when you become one of those statues, so I concluded it was very unlikely he was in league with The Devourer.

"I'm guessing they went down this road somewhere, though I don't think Melinda would have walked upon it directly." I said, pointing to the path that lead out of Thalnacht in front of us. "By then, shit was already happening, and she'd have want to stay hidden?" 

"You're sure she wouldn't have tried to fight The Devourer by herself?" Nisbeth said back to me as I frowned at him.

"She's not stupid. I've questioned a few of her decisions here, but do you really think she'd do something that brainless? No." I said firmly as I looked around us. This all seemed a bit hopeless, given five of us had run off to fuck-knows-where, many of them in different directions. I could definitely see where the toxicroak was coming from, but I wasn't having any of his pessimism right now.

"Ok, I suggest we go though this wooded area ahead of us. We won't be as exposed. If we see nothing, we'll…we'll see." I said, struggling to think of what to do as the feeling of helplessness started to bear down on me. I lead Nisbeth through the bushes and trees, occasionally scratching myself on a thorn or two, but far better that than being seen by that stranger walking towards town on the path. He or she didn't seem to notice us, as we were able to remain extremely silent at a moment's notice. I was starting to get good at sneaking around by now.

I suddenly saw a small flash of light in front of us and dived behind a bush instinctively. I felt almost allergic to the light after seeing that terrible monstrosity earlier, though Nisbeth pointed out that it was a small fork of lightning, clearly getting a better view.

"It could be Charlie, want to take a look?" Nisbeth said as we pushed forward, and shortly afterwards, we could see a familiar looking ampharos, albeit one that looked exhausted and battered. He was sitting down next to an unconscious, or a possibly dead heracross, clutching his left arm and breathing through his teeth, likely trying to endure the pain.

"Charlie, it's just us two." We said, walking out onto the small clearing to join him. Upon closer look, his hand had a fair bit of blood on it, suggesting that the heracross nailed it dead on with its savage horn. He looked at us and smiled slightly, looking happy to see us still alive.

"Ah, I was worried I was going to be alone for quite some time." He said, carefully grabbing his back with this injured arm while keeping his hand on the wound. "Mind helping me bandage up this wound?"

"Of course." I replied and helped him out. That wound looked serious, and all things considered, Charlie was very lucky his arm wasn't broken. Regardless, this was probably the most lucid I had ever seen him, and I couldn't even get a slightest whiff of booze off him at all. Was he putting his rampant alcoholism on hold to deal with the danger, or was he just unable to get any? Who could tell. "So, where's Audrey? And have you seen Melinda anywhere? She was looking for the two of you."

"This heracross wasn't the only one that attacked us. There was a trevenant and something else that I can't remember, and Audrey and I got separated. I think she was cut off and ran off to the west somewhere." Charlie said, as he stood up. "Hopefully she comes back."

"As you've guessed, Duke and Murphy have also ran off. They're not together. I also take it you've seen 'it'." I said as Charlie nodded slowly, looking rather afraid.

"Some people of that human church have supposedly started praying en masse for the return of The Sound of Perseverance, and in a way, I'm almost with them. What were we thinking? What can we do against that thing? There are beings in this world that are incredibly powerful, and yet they are just as terrified of it as we are. I heard rumours The Watcher of The Skies just abandoned this planet entirely. Oh, and it seems like Serge was wrong: It doesn't seem like there's anything you humans can do to take that thing down, at least not compared to the locals like us." He said, while taking out a couple of strange stones from his large rucksack before putting it on his back. "Won't be for a lack of trying though, right?"

"You're not chasing after The Devourer, right?" I asked as he smiled and shrugged.

"Not exactly. Well, truth be told, I'm not sure what to do. Won't be nothing though! Come on, an adventure awaits us!" Charlie replied, looking eager to go.

"I choose life." Nisbeth said, seeing a faint flicker of light way off in the distance.

"If you lot were feeling suicidal, I think the best way we could have a look, from a safe distance of course, about how some of these strange pokemon get the same sort of powers as The Devourer: y'know, the whole black statue thing. We would want to discover the nature of this power, then maybe we can find a way to stop or reverse it. Also, it seems likely that The Devourer forces individuals to serve it, possibly giving it the black statue ability. Finding out how this happens could be important. That being said, I'm more interested in finding Melinda. Seen her anywhere?" I asked.

"Not recently no, and do you really think studying from a distance is going to help all that much?" Charlie asked as I scoffed at him slightly.

"More than running headlong into battle with that thing. If it even sees you, you're likely completely at its mercy, and even if you did sneak up on it, I somehow doubt you'd be able to really hurt it much. Also, you're not getting out of that stunt alive." I said, dismissing the idea entirely. I didn't even want to carry out my 'safer' suggestion. That being said, aside from the obvious threat The Devourer posed, there was something about it that seemed to make my very soul crawl with anxiety and disgust, something primal that I couldn't quite tap into. Of course, I wanted to ensure the safety and prosperity of those close to me, but if I can remove this abomination from existence entirely while I do so, I'd be more than happy.

"Well, given how enthusiastic your sister is about finding a way to kill that alien and with Audrey also running West, I think we should head there now." Charlie said, briefly searching for something in his bag. He produced a bottle and stared at it for a couple of seconds. "Empty…" He muttered before throwing it over his shoulder.

"What about Duke though?" I said, hoping he hadn't got himself into trouble.

"You said he ran towards the East, right? It's away from The Devourer. We can go find him later during tomorrow morning and hope he hasn't run off too far." Charlie said as I raised an eyebrow.

"Risking the loss of a human like that? I know you said you were losing faith that they could help you and all, but…" I said as I looked at the two of them. I could already tell what Nisbeth thought we should do: have us two split off and look for Duke. Not happening when Melinda was out there somewhere. The only logical outcome from these people was to all go search for Audrey and my sister. No point in arguing this now, since Charlie looked dead set on going East. "Fine, we get Duke later."

"This map's so hard for me to see in the dark…Basil, help me out." He said after a short while of trekking through rough terrain, which snaked up and down by the mountainside. My night vision had improved in this body, and in spite of how little light there was, I could see the details on the map quite clearly.

"We're at this side of the lake here. I can't make it out from here, but we'd reach the shore by walking south for a few minutes. It's likely the townsfolk ran down this path we took to get here, just south of the lake." I said, staring south, then towards the east. Couldn't see much of anything aside from a few nearby trees. Guess my night vision wasn't that good. "Can't see any sign of The Devourer, and if its goal is to turn us all into pitch black statues, then I doubt he or any of his minions would bother coming at this exact spot. They've gotten more aggressive, so they'll likely sweep towns before hunting down stragglers in the countryside."

"Well, you two know Audrey and Melinda better than I do. What do you think they'd be doing?" Nisbeth said as I thought about it briefly.

"She has been a bit reckless since she's got here, but I doubt she'd be trying to fight The Devourer directly. I'd say she'd be trying to get some of the fleeing pokemon to safety. I can imagine she'd have found a way to catch up with them and possibly convinced them to split up, or possibly try to get them to turn and dogpile The Devourer. Doubt she'd be successful with the latter however." I said, hoping she didn't even think about it.

"Audrey would try to get them out of there." Charlie said almost instantly.

"As for Murphy, he can really run. I wouldn't be surprised if he made it to Südreiches by now. I just hope he has the sense to either hide himself really well or not stay around there for too long. Anyway, if we want to find the two slower people, we'll want to get closer to the path, but obviously not too close. We need to stay hidden." I said as they both agreed with me, Nisbeth obviously being the more reluctant of the two.

My mouth was slowly getting dryer the further we pushed on, my primal instincts demanding that I turn tail and go west to avoid ever seeing that terrible thing again. Besides, he wasn't alone, and I had no idea how many servants it had accrued. The terrain started getting a little flatter as we moved ever so slightly closer to the lake's shore as we pushed on. Nothing noteworthy happened for quite some time, but when something did appear, it got us all to have second thoughts about our plan.

"What's a black statue doing here?" Nisbeth said, as I quickly pointed it out to Charlie before he accidentally knocked into it. I wouldn't mind that ampharos generating some light so we could see better, but that'd be borderline suicide at this moment in time.

"Oh…oh I get it now. It's speculation, but I think I've figured out how The Devourer's operating here. It goes after the crowds, while its allies hunt down isolated stragglers. We saw in Conviction that they can be taken down like any regular pokemon if you can avoid getting turned into a stature. They operate like assassins, while The Devourer himself acts like a squadron of bombers. Like assassins…shit, it could still be nearby, be quiet, listen closely and keep watch." I said, slowly remembering that we were still in a life-or-death situation. Couldn't afford to get careless again.

"Clever you Basil; maybe this is why The Guardian of Forever brought you here." Charlie said, still being a little too loud for my liking.

"Yeah, maybe…" I said quietly, clutching the weapon tightly, gesturing for the others to stay completely silent. It was hard to tell how recently that doduo got turned into a statue, but if it was during tonight's attack, then the perpetrator might still be nearby. It seemed like it was in the middle of running back towards the town judging by its final pose. Perhaps it was trying to sneak by the other side of the lake to get home. Whatever it was trying to do, however, it didn't work.

I was grateful for my fairly good night vision, but it meant I had to be the eyes for all three of us. From my studies about all the different kinds of pokemon out there, Charlie would have to be our ears. I gestured for Charlie to stand at the back and listen closely for anything strange, while I'd go at the front and lead the way. There were no questions asked, and I began to wonder if Charlie had given up trying to be the head man and gave me the role of de-facto leader.

Not being able to see or hear that murderer was frightening and comforting in equal measure. Maybe he or she wasn't around here, or maybe it was following us, waiting for its opportunity. Regardless, nothing seemed to happen as we kept making out way to the west side of the lake. Eventually, I was able to see the path ahead and decided this was close enough. We still had some cover from the nearby bushes and trees, and I didn't want to ruin that. A flash of that pale, sickly yellow light way off in the distance ahead of us assured me that staying concealed was the right choice.

"That thing's still chasin' them…" Nisbeth said, crouching behind a push next to me.

"Melinda's likely in that direction somewhere, so I suggest we-" I said before spotting something strange from at the other side of the path, just at the edge where my vision completely gave way to darkness. There was a specific spot where it seemed a tiny bit darker than usual, and the air around it seemed to waver ever so slightly. It was this moment where I suddenly recognized it.

"Get out of here!" I suddenly screamed and turned round and dashed away. Thankfully, the other two got the idea as I heard the sound of the undergrowth being trampled on, before a small burst of a static-like noise, as if it was from a faulty television. Looking round, I could see Nisbeth beside me, but I couldn't see Charlie past that stream of dark light, but is very quickly passed, and, thankfully, it seemed like the perpetrator missed.

"Where'd he go?!" Charlie yelled, looking around. I ducked down low behind a push, peering just to the side of it where the blast of dark light came from. Nothing. It could be anywhere! Panic and dread welled up inside me as I realised that I had no clue where that thing was. I bit my bottom lip, shuddered, and stared at different points in the oppressive darkness. I could see the ampharos, but I doubted he could see me. I needed to gesture to Charlie to follow me so that we could all stick together, but a sudden burst of flame that shot right above me made that thought go right out the window. I instinctively lied as low as I could against the ground, as I felt the heat of the fire singe the edges of my fur.

Unfortunately, Nisbeth was not so lucky as I heard him shriek in pain in a voice far higher than I imagined my good friend was capable of. I knew just how badly heat and dryness can utterly ruin a toxicroak, and seeing him writhe on the ground like that was a firm reminder of that fact. I threw caution to the wind and jumped over to him as I desperately took some water out of my bag and threw it over his burns. It didn't do much, but it was the best I could do at the time. Unfortunately, I knew his sudden screaming would lure unwanted attention from all around. We had to act quickly.

"Hold on!" I yelled as I put a hand on Nisbeth and pointed the weapon between some trees. Just before I teleported away, I saw the eyes of a crazed looking rapidash, galloping towards us. It seemed to turn its head to the left however, a split second before I activated the weapon. After being warped, I went to check on Nisbeth, since I thought we had cover, yet it seemed like the rapidash was already charging in our direction. How did it know where we were going to be that instantly? They were hardly known for their good night vision, so how could it…

No matter. I'd get Nisbeth out of here. To try and confuse it, I teleported us to the right of the rapidash instead of directly away from it. We didn't dare move as we kept watch from behind cover. It seemed to be fooled, as it charged past the trees and bushes, its personal fire causing them to wither slightly as it passed by. From here, it seemed like it had crawled straight out of the underworld as it galloped on by. It stopped after a while, and in the distance, I could see it start to walk slowly, clearly searching for us.

"Shh, stay quiet, I'll see if I can bandage you up." I said, seeing the cracked skin on the side of his face and right arm. I had no idea how to do first aid properly, let alone on a toxicorak, but it was all I could think of right now. This could at least provide some padding to the sensitive skin, at least in my mind. However, I barely had time as I saw something approaching through the gaps of the trees. I couldn't quite make it out, but it sure wasn't Charlie and hardly looked friendly either, given how it was tearing down bushes without mercy on its way to us.

"How the fuck are they finding us so quickly?!" I muttered to myself as I saw that Rapidash turn to look at our location too. Were there far more of them than I thought?! Or were there more to their tracking and hunting methods that I perceived? Telling Nisbeth that he'd have to run with me, I pointed the weapon away from our two pursuers and teleported us a fair distance. One more, they seemed to see exactly where we went without the slightest delay as they continued to barrel past the trees and bushes.

I wondered how they seemed to know exactly where the two of us would appear during the first and third time, but not the second, as we leapt over a small stream. I knew I didn't have many teleports left before having to reload, two at the most. I had to make them count.

"We've no idea where we're running, do we?" Nisbeth said, sounding like it was painful for him to speak. Given the side of his throat looked like it was hit by that vicious stream of fire, I couldn't blame him for his hoarse and weak voice. He was right. Any sense of direction was lost as we went headlong into the wilderness, hoping that fortune would change. However, I soon realised that it was foolish. That rapidash and, getting a good look at it now, that weavile was far faster than us.

"Count of three, we turn and fight. I'll swap places with the weavile, you pounded it to death once I make the switch." I said quietly to him as we continued to run. "Three, two, one, now!" I said, spinning around on the spot and looking at the weavile about ten meters in front of me, murderous intent glistening in its eyes. I aimed at the weavile and fired a speck of teleportation powder at it, causing me to swap places. I was now looking at the rapidash, who was thankfully having difficulty navigating the forest, weapon in hand. I expected to hear a loud satisfying thud, but instead I heard Nisbeth scream once more.

"Nonono!" I yelled as I looked over my shoulder. In spite of our planning, the weavile got the first hit in, blood coating its right claw as Nisbeth clutched the side of the huge gash in his face. How did it manage that?! Then it hit me: Somehow, these two must have known about the weapon. But how?! Did they have spies? Perhaps. It's like they knew what I was going to do. How far does this information go? It's a rabbit hole that I pray is shallow. So what do I do now? I could try teleporting next to it, but I'd probably just suffer the same fate. Right, I simply had to use its knowledge against it, but how?

Biting my lip, I started running straight towards the agile and deadly pokemon. I assumed it knew that a point blank blast to its face would be lethal, and that I would probably try to warp in range. So I would simply not warp. Keeping one eye on the weavile and one eye on the ground next to it, I pointed the weapon just to the left of the pokemon. However, I had no intention of teleporting this time. My eyes occasionally shifted to the right, trying to trick the weavile into to striking the open air. Just before I reached striking distance, I pretended to teleport right there, and indeed, the weavile turned to swing at open air. This was my chance! I suddenly took two big steps forward before leaping up slightly, and just as the weavile turned to look at me again, bang! Its face was ruined to the point its own parents couldn't recognize it.

My victory was short lived however as I felt something hit me hard from behind, knocking the weapon right out of my hand. Should have factored in that rapidash! I was knocked past Nisbeth who looked like he could barely stand and was using his left arm to try and stem the bleeding over my useless first aid. This was all rather hard to make out as my vision had become blurry from the force of the impact. Turning around, I saw it charge at me incredibly quickly over the bare patch of ground. I barely just had enough time to avoid its horn as I was hit hard by the side of its head. I was sent sprawling back into a thorny bush as I felt the skin beneath my fur get lightly shredded by those little spikes. Forcing myself off it, I only narrowly dodged a deadly jet of fire. I covered my body with my arms slightly, instinctively thinking it would protect me, but as I looked at the rapidash, I realised that I was truly alone.

Nisbeth seemed too injured to fight, and I no longer had the weapon. I felt completely naked in the face of such danger, as violent shivering and heavy breathing started to override my body. No choice but to try to run and hide, I couldn't take that thing head on. I started to wonder why it wasn't turning me into one of those black statues. Maybe it couldn't. It's all I had to go on right now as I forced my cut ridden body to move quickly in between, around, over and under the bushes, each one more laced with thorns than the last.

I wondered why it hadn't attempted to turn either of us into a statue. Either it couldn't or it didn't want to, of course. There had been cases of weirdos just attacking others on a whim recently, so perhaps not all those working for The Devourer had the ability. I sincerely hoped that was the case this time, since the idea of The Devourer not wanting me dead was oddly terrifying, since I could only imagine what else it would have in store for me.

I whimpered slightly as I tripped and tumbled down a slope that I failed to notice, hitting my arms and body painfully on the ground as I crashed into a bush. Thankfully, it wasn't jagged, though it didn't stop my entire body from shooting all types of pain through every nerve. I stared up the slope in my daze to see that rapidash somewhere at the top of it, looking around. Do I continue to run, or do I stay hidden here? 'This bush had good cover, it had to have good cover!', my mind yelled at me as I started to become too afraid to even move. The only part of me that moved were my eyes as they shifted from left to right. The trees were more spread out this time, providing ample room for the pokemon to charge me down.

It slowly made its way down the slope, as I heard it making strange growls that made my blood run cold. Melinda used to have a rapidash, and it couldn't make noises like that. What had The Devourer done to this thing?! However, the closer I looked, the more I realised that it was struggling and limping, and shortly after, I could see a fairly large putrid wound at the top of one of its hind legs. Nisbeth, you might have just saved my life again! It was the unmistakable mark of a vicious puncture from one of its toxin-laced claws! My pursuer would likely collapse soon, though I hardly wanted to flee right now.

Its unearthly growling started becoming more hoarse as it looked less and less stable on its feet, the poison doing its job just fine. However, it was wandering dangerously close to me by now, and a horrifying thought dawned on me: I simply didn't know how well these things could smell, nor did I know if The Devourer had tampered with this pokemon in such a manner that it could find me more easily. I clenched my hands ever so slightly, as if to hold the weapon, but that couldn't save me now. This was completely out of my hands now, all sense of control over my own fate being thrown to the hands of another. How could I secure the safety and prosperity of my closest friends when I couldn't even save my own skin? How pathetic of me. Nothing left for me now. All I could do was close my eyes and pray to the god of chance, whatever that being that may be.

One footstep, two footsteps and a grunt. Silence. Another footstep and a snort. Three more footsteps. They didn't seem to be getting any louder or quieter, so I couldn't be sure if it was walking away. One footstep, then, suddenly, a large thud, accompanied by the cracking of twigs on the ground. I slowly opened my eyes to see the rapidash laying on the ground a short distance in front of me. Luck was in my favour this time, though I dared not sigh in relief, in case giving away my position would inspire a second wind from it. I had to be quiet now, getting out of this bush and then, well, heading to anywhere but here. Melinda, Murphy and now Nisbeth…I had no idea how they were doing, and the feeling of helplessness towards them in this most savage of nights, well, it cut deeper than anything I had experienced before in my entire life. I couldn't be alone here, I couldn't, I can't! But could I really say that I won't?

I didn't hear much of anything now, and my surroundings looked identical, no matter which direction I turned. The night sky above offered no stars, the clouds obscuring and covering every single one. I might have been out of immediate danger, but this feeling of being completely and totally lost wasn't much better. I had no idea where Nisbeth was now, and without him or the weapon, I felt like prey, ripe for the taking for any predator that wanders anywhere near me.

I slowly made my way up a tiny hill in this seemingly endless forest, eventually sitting beside a tall three that vaguely resembled a great oak and got a faint view of Südriches in the distance. It looked to be in a real sorry state, as the sickly glow of The Devourer coated it in its malevolence. To say that thing is an abomination would be an understatement, and if someone were to eventually put a stop to that thing, I'd happily host a party in their honour. If that thing would just fuck off and get rid of itself, I'd still be home, working on preparing Melinda for the next tournament and not having to be frightened for my life every other day.

All the cuts and bruises I accrued felt like I has needles pricking me over my entire body. Sure, they'd fade in time, yet I wonder what else could fade. I hadn't a clue where Nisbeth was, and thinking back, I rather callously left Charlie behind. Shame, he'd have been useful to me. I guess Melinda would be near Südriches, though alive, dead, or a black statue, I had no idea. Nothing for it, and from here, it looked like it would take just over an hour.

Drinking some water and the last of my food, I slowly made my way down the small hill and onto flatter land. The trees seemed to be a lot more spread out than they used to be. Easier for those bastards to see me, but the opposite was also true, and I didn't want to take any unnecessary detours. I shivered every once in a while as I constantly jerked my head towards any and every strange sound. Was I being followed? Did they know where I was? Wish my friends knew.

I breathed slowly and deeply through gritted teeth, trying to keep myself from panicking, trying to hold on to that logical part of my mind, as I felt it slowly try to tear away from me. Just keep focused. I kept pushing onwards, trying to fight my survival instincts screaming at me to get as far away from The Devourer as possible. In the long run, I had no chance to survive here without close allies, so it was a risk I had to take.

I didn't see anyone or anything noteworthy for some time. Seems like I was so far off the beaten track that The Devourer's soldiers didn't bother looking for people this far out, probably completely pre-occupied with hunting the townsfolk. Still didn't make me feel anything easier, as I felt my muscles starting to lock up slightly with distilled tension. A gentle breeze started blowing against my face as I continued to make my way through the thinning forest as I began to see the moon slowly appear from behind a drifting cloud. Normally, it'd be nice and pleasant, but I had a feeling that my enemies would enjoy it more than I would.

Suddenly, I saw a burst of pale green flames in the distance. Yes, that had to be her! I was no longer alone…providing it wasn't some other marowak. Watching behind a tree, I saw the pokemon leap around, firing a couple of fireballs that exploded upon impact with the ground and trees, and shortly after, a burst of that terrible dark light just narrowly missed it. Whether it was my sister or not, it was clearly not with The Devourer. Sneaking around to get a closer look, I spotted an opportunity. Glancing over at the marowak, I confirmed that it was indeed my sister. This would be worth it.

I suddenly started sprinting at the assailant, which turned out to be that kadabra from before. A chance to help put this bastard down for good, was a chance I wasn't going to let slip again! I opened up my ears and felt the psionic energy build heavily with in me. No chance of controlling it, I suddenly leapt right into him and let it all out in a savage burst of energy, sending us both reeling across the ground. It hurt me real good, but as I lifted my aching head slightly, I could tell that kadabra was about to get it much worse.

"Sorry that it had to come down to this." Melinda said and brought down her flaming bone upon the kadabra's head with crushing force. It was knocked out for sure, and from the looks of things, could possibly suffer some serious brain damage. Aw well, you'd have to be pretty mentally done for if you decided to side with The Devourer anyway, so nothing of value was lost.

"Basil!" Melinda said upon seeing me and helped me to my feet. I wobbled a bit before fully regaining balance. "Oh god, I thought you could have died!" She said, hugging me tightly.

"Please don't run away like that again from me, it was hard enough finding you in this flaming dumpster fire once!" I said, returning the hug. "I…I got separated from the others. I've no idea how they're doing."

"It'll be day before long, so if they're alive, which I'm sure they will be…hopefully, we can find them then." She said, looking around. "Come on Basil, before more of them find us." She said, leading me further away from Südriches.

"What happened in town?" I asked as she lowered her head slightly.

"Südriches is also lost. I…I tried, but…I saw The Devourer itself. I tried to blast it with a huge fireball, but I'm not even sure if it even felt it! The townsfolk were braver than back in Thalnacht, but I think it just made things worse…" She said, sounding utterly defeated. "What were we thinking Basil…how do we stop something like that?" She said as I kept looking around for any assassins.

"…Maybe he can help us." I said, suddenly noticing something atop a large mound in the earth in the distance. It looked vaguely humanoid, and partially wreathed in flames, and was standing rather still. It was doing something, but I couldn't quite tell. A few seconds later, It seemed to open his arms and was surrounded by this strange lilac aura that wobbled around him. Naturally, this could bring about a lot of unwanted attention, so I signalled Melinda to find some cover with me while we kept watch.

The aura seemed to surround itself and grow wider as I tried to figure out what sort of power this was, and what sort of person could make it. And just when it had become truly bright, I saw him take a couple of steps forward, and both he and that otherworldly pinkish…stuff suddenly vanished into nothing.

"…Is that…?" I heard Melinda say as we both swiftly made our way over to where he or she once was. I think it could be him! Serge! The Guardian of Forever! And the architect of the needless murder of my people! If I had just charged at him on sight…I'd have a few choice words with him!

"I see a note here of some kind! Let's take it and get out of here!" Melinda said, grabbing the note with her left hand and my arm with my right before running as fast as she could. I missed a few steps here and there due to her being much faster than me, so she occasionally had to drag me across the ground. Eventually, she just crouched down so I could get a piggyback ride, which was easier for both of us.

"Read the letter Basil." She asked as I took it from her. The writing was borderline illegible, and Serge, if it was him, was clearly in a huge rush.

" _Dear Marowak, I know what you are. I hope that you get this letter first. Go to the purified oasis in_ _Mistet Ørkenen. Come alone. Trust no one. It has eyes and ears everywhere._

 _The Guardian of Forever."_

How brief. Guess he really was in a hurry! Can't blame him really, since he has The Devourer and my wrath to answer to if he gets caught!

"He said to come alone…" Melinda said, thinking about it.

"I'm not leaving your side, understand? Besides, we're both human. He'll have use for both of us, right? Maybe we can get some real answers from him, and get out of here!" I said as I once against heard that familiar grinding roar sound loudly behind us, the terrible sound piercing our ears, inducing a splitting headache in the process. We both froze and turned around slowly, and we saw it. It was coming this way, and coming fast.

That bastard…it lead that thing right to us!


End file.
